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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27702580">As Crazy as It sounds, We're Soulmates Through Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DumbassIcarus/pseuds/DumbassIcarus'>DumbassIcarus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - No Powers, Based off Netflix’s Mirage but Supercorp endgame, Eventual description of graphic murder, F/F, Hozier may or may not have influenced the rest of this fic, It continues after the main plot for some self indulgent Supercorp, Its a murder mystery?, Lex is a good brother for once, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Slow Burn, SuperCorp, Supercorp endgame, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, there's a reveal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 04:08:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27702580</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DumbassIcarus/pseuds/DumbassIcarus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In 1989, a girl by the name of Kara Kent died on the night of a terrible storm. Twenty-five years later, Lena Luthor comes across an old analog TV and camera which sends her into a parallel timeline. In the belief that the key to this time riddle is finding out Kara Kent's whereabouts, she embarks on a search for clues and evidence that can help to uncover the truth of her parallel life and solving a murder. Which one of her two parallel lives is real? Is her previous life a delusion? Will Lena be able to fix things before the storm subsides? Or will her life completely change?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Stranger on the TV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Some characters last names have been changed for the sake of this fic. All mistakes are mine.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“In meteorological terms we have to talk about the arrival of an electrical storm. Which will extend throughout the northern third of the Peninsula. The great atmospheric instability has been forming different super-cells in permanent rotation. As a result, The National Metrology Institute predicts that these storms will be visible this evening and will last for the next 72 hours. Leading to strong downpours that may cause electrical malfunctions in electrical devices and problems with communications. The Civil Guard has established some rules as a precaution to protect our citizens.” The meteorologist on TV said as he stood in front of a map of the country. </p><p>It abruptly cuts to the news host. “We can now bring you the emergency story that we announced previously. Reporting is our special correspondent, Jose Ricardo,” He says as he stacks his cue cards in front of him. </p><p>“The streets of East Berlin seem normal. Only a few curious onlookers have come to the Brandenburg Gate. At checkpoint Charlie, the crossing point between both Berlins, the first onlookers and television camera are arriving. Shortly before midnight, here in Neukölln, the border has opened up informally for all the Germans from the East that want to come here to the West.” The news channel shows images and videos as the reporter talks. Kara half pays attention as she searches for a chest that contains her cassette tapes. “It is the first time in 27 years that the Berlin Wall no longer exists for its citizens from the Other Germany,” The reporter continues as the camera is now focused on him. Kara finds the tape she is looking for and walks to the TV, which held her camera. “November 9th, 1989…” The reporter's words get cut off as Kara turns the camera on and places the cassette tape inside and fixes the camera, sitting on top of her amp. The storm is loud as Kara records herself singing, and she hopes it doesn’t come up in the recording.</p><p>“<em> Sometimes you picture me </em></p><p>
  <em> I'm walking too far ahead </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You're calling to me, I can't hear </em>
</p><p>
  <em> What you've said </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Then you say, "go-slow" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And I fall behind </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The second hand unwinds" </em>
</p><p>Kara is a bit off-key as she's playing her electric guitar and singing when her mother slowly walks in. </p><p>"<em> If you're lost you can look and you will find me </em></p><p>
  <em> Time after time </em>
</p><p><em> If you fall, I- </em>” </p><p>Kara stops once she sees her mother kneeling in front of her, admiring her. “Mom,” Kara groans, “You just messed up my tape.” She slumps and looks at the camera then back to her mother. Her mother gets up and presses a kiss on her forehead.</p><p>“I’m going to work. Don’t go to bed too late, you have school tomorrow, Okay?” Her mother playfully tugs at her ear. Kara only shakes her head in response with a small smile. “Oh, Kara! Did you record my tape for me yet?” Her mother says as she turns around at the door. </p><p>“Yeah, it's in your glove compartment,” Kara beams at her. </p><p>“Hey,” Her mother replies as she makes a gun shape with her hand and kisses the trigger before taking a fake shot at her. Kara groans and plays along as she feigns being shot in the heart. Her mother laughs before leaving her room. </p><p>Once she gets inside her car, she opens the glove compartment to find a cassette tape with a sticky note on it. “<em> Love you Mom - Kara </em>” Alura chuckled and took the sticky note off and inserted the tape in the cassette deck. Smiling, Alura puts on her seatbelt and pulls out of her driveway and passes a parked car with her neighbor, Martha Thompson, inside of it. Martha waited for Alura’s car to round the corner and took a long sip of her vodka. She relished the burning sensation in her throat as she took another sip. Feeling she had enough liquid courage, she closed the bottle and exited her car. </p><p>Kara had just hit the rewind button on the camera when she heard a commotion coming from her neighbor's house. Curious, she walked to her window and opened the curtains only to see shadows of people who seemed to be fighting. One shadow seemed to have hit the window while the others continued fighting. Kara made her way out of her house and walked towards her neighbor's house. She didn’t want to be seen, so she went to the back of the house and opened the gate that led to their backyard. After cutting stealthily through the clothesline, she continued to walk. Rounding the corner, she was met by a scary looking dog, who started barking at her. Thankfully, the dog was chained up to the shed. Carefully Kara made her way to an already opened door at her right.</p><p>She entered the door and found herself in the kitchen. Looking around, she saw a pair of black high heels in front of the opening leading to the dining room. In the dining room there was a table that had three candles lit on top of it and what seemed to be half finished and forgotten dinner. She studied a portrait that hung on the wall, containing a happy-looking couple. She left the dining room and was about to go up the stairs when she stopped in her tracks. Scared, she panted, as she spotted an unconscious woman splayed on the floor, her shirt stained with blood. Kara rushed to kneel beside the woman's body. </p><p>“Ms. Thompson,” Kara says as she looks around, shaking her when she gets no response. “Ms. Thompson,” She repeats herself, continuing to shake the woman. She’s startled at the sound of heavy footsteps. She lifts her gaze to the top of the stairs and stands up quickly when she sees Jeremiah holding a bloodied knife. As Kara begins to slowly back out of the foyer, Jeremiah notices her as he continues to descend the stairs. Kara ran to the door, unlocked it, and closed it behind her as she left. </p><p>“Wait!” Jeremiah yelled, rushing down the stairs. </p><p>Kara had no time to waste, so she jumped the front stairs of the house only to trip and fall. She quickly got up as Jeremiah opened the door. </p><p>“Wait!” Jeremiah screamed after her again as he ran faster. </p><p>Kara looked over her shoulder while she ran to see Jeremiah, how far away he was from her. She had made it to the street only to register the headlights at her side. </p><p>“No!” Jeremiah yelled as the car hit Kara and dragged her for a moment before coming to a full stop. Jeremiah paused in shock before he made his way out to the street. </p><p>“Someone help!” The driver of the car cried out as he held Kara’s body. The residents of the neighborhood coming out of their houses. </p><p>“Kara!” Alex yelled as she ran and stopped, staring at her best friend's body, unmoving in the hands of the man.</p><p>“I need help!” The man repeated as he heard Alex and the gasps of the people coming towards him. Alex turned to face the only person who seemed to have not moved since she got near Kara’s body. As she met Jeremiah's gaze, he dropped the knife in his hand. Stumbling backwards until he hit the car and slid down it, crying. </p><p>____________</p><p>Lena woke up from a nightmare and turned to face the body sleeping right beside her. “Good morning, my love,” She whispered as she gently ran her hand on her cheek. Her daughter groaned in response, and Lena chuckled. </p><p>“Oh yeah,” She said sarcastically as she tickled her, “Come on.” She stopped tickling her daughter, so she could reply. “How’d you sleep,” She asked. </p><p>“I don’t like this house. It’s cold,” The little girl groaned. </p><p>“You’ve only been here one night,” Lena chuckled. </p><p>Her daughter scoffed, “But I want my own room,” She pouted. </p><p>Lena gave her arm a gentle squeeze, “I promise you’ll get it soon, kiddo.” The small girl smiled and nodded. Satisfied, Lena pretended to bite her daughter’s hand before reaching her cheek and placing kisses on it. “Alright, come on. We have to get up!” Lena said as she removed their shared blanket. They both got up and began making their way towards the kitchen. Lena sat her daughter at a table and made her some breakfast. She had just finished placing her daughter’s breakfast on the table when she got a phone call. “Hi Honey. Are you almost back?” She answered.</p><p>“Yeah, I had gotten an early flight home. But I have to spend all day in meetings because they wanted to go over the budgets, saying something is not adding up,” Sam paused and took a deep breath before passing through the building's security. “Anyway, I’ll be home late… like always.” </p><p>Lena opened the curtains and began inspecting her front yard, “It’s nothing new.”</p><p>“I’ll make it up to you… now confess,” Sam said sarcastically as she entered an elevator. </p><p>Lena let out a deep breath, “Okay, fine. You caught me, I slept with her,” She replied, offended.</p><p>“You slept together?” Sam shot back playfully, filled with pseudo exasperation.</p><p>“Yeah, it was cold,” She chuckled and shook her head even though Sam couldn’t see her. </p><p>“I knew it! Put her on the phone,” Sam said, laughing. </p><p>“Wait,” Lena replied as she made her way back to where their daughter was eating, making sure not to bump into any of the painters. “Ruby, Mommy is on the phone,” She carefully removed Ruby’s earmuffs and handed her the phone. </p><p>“Hi, Mom!” Ruby beamed, taking the phone. </p><p>“Hey, how’s my little monster?” Sam cooed. </p><p>“Everything smells like paint,” Ruby complained as Lena helped her spread a bit of butter on her toast. </p><p>“Trust me. Soon you’ll see it’s better than living in the city. I promise,” Sam replied, exiting the elevator. </p><p>“Okay, Mom,” Ruby sighed.</p><p>“Have they started the meeting?” Sam placed the phone on her chest as she saw her assistant. </p><p>“They are waiting for you. Tomorrow we have a meeting with a new client, Ms. Kane,” Sam’s assistant answered as she took Sam’s jacket off her hands. </p><p>“Okay, make a note of that,” She replied to her assistant before returning the phone to her ear. “May I talk to Mommy again, please,” She said as her assistant left.</p><p>“She wants to talk to you,” Ruby handed Lena the phone. </p><p>Lena quickly finished chewing her bite and cleared her throat. “Yes?” Lena said as she placed the phone to her ear. </p><p>“Hey, Honey. Why don’t you ask Alex to come over for dinner,” Sam asked, a bit hurriedly.</p><p>“I will let her know,” Lena answered back with a lilt. </p><p>“Oh, hey! I love you,” Sam cooed.</p><p>Lena smiled, “I love you too,” She replied before she hung up the call.</p><p>__ __ __ __</p><p>Alex placed her luggage in her trunk before she made her way to her mother, who was smoking and looking up at the clouds in the sky. </p><p>“No, no, no,” Eliza whispered as let out smoke.</p><p>“What wrong, Mom?” Alex said as she looked at her mother. </p><p>“The storm is here,” Eliza replied with a shaky breath. “It’s the same, just like years ago,” She continued as the sky rumbled.</p><p>“Well,” Alex sighed, “I’m going to work. I’ll be right back soon.” She rubbed her mom’s back before kissing her cheek, “Don’t smoke too much, Okay?” </p><p>Her mom only patted her cheek in response. “No, no, no,” Her mother whispered again as Alex walked away. Alex gave her a concerned look before she entered her car.</p><p>__ __ __ __</p><p>Lena put on a jacket and headed outside, grabbing the keys as she left. She made her way around the covered furniture that was laid out in her front yard to a supervisor. “Hey, can I ask you a quick favor,” She said as she lightly tapped his shoulder. </p><p>“Yes, Ma'am,” He replied as he turned to face her. </p><p>“We’re leaving, and we won’t be back for a couple of hours. So, when you're done, can you lock up the house?” She stops to hand him the keys. “And leave the keys in the house upfront,” She continues and points to Alex’s house right in front of hers. </p><p>“Will do, Mrs.,” He replied with a nod and placed the keys in his pocket. “Be careful. We don’t want you to get hurt!” He yelled at a man who seemed to be the new guy.</p><p>Lena ambled through her front lawn as she saw Alex’s green Ford Pinto. Alex had pulled out on the street and stopped to honk her horn as Lena made her way over to her. “Good Morning neighbor!” She beamed from inside the car. </p><p>“Good morning!” Lena said in between chuckles and shaking her head. </p><p>“How’s it going?” Alex replied with a coy smile playing on her lips as rested her hand on the door’s opened window. </p><p>“If I was your passenger, and I saw you riding around in this explosive,” Lena dramatically motioned to the car. “I wouldn’t board the plane,” She teased.</p><p>Ignoring the comment, Alex looked behind Lena then back to her as Lena leaned closer to the door, “Where’s the wife?”.</p><p>Lena couldn’t help the huff that escaped her mouth, “She spent the night in Gotham.”</p><p>Alex arched an eyebrow, “Oh, really now?”. </p><p>She tilted her head, “Yes,” She countered sarcastically, earning her a '<em> Mmm' </em>  from the dark cherry haired woman in front of her. Lena chuckled softly, “She wants to have dinner?”.</p><p>Alex inhaled deeply and pretended to take some time contemplating the invitation, “Well, I’d say she has the nerve for asking, but.”</p><p>Lena cut her off by swatting playfully at her arm “Stop that!”. </p><p>They both chuckled before Alex raised her hand up slightly, “Apart from the fact that I’m flying to Star City. It’s a round trip, so I guess I’ll be around then.” </p><p>“Okay. Ask your mother if she also wants to come over, if she wants?”.</p><p>Alex lowers her head at the question, “You sure?” </p><p>“Yes, I’m sure. I would love to see Eliza,” Lena replies as she gives Alex’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. </p><p>“Okay, then it’s settled,” Alex says as she turns the key in the ignition.</p><p>“Goodbye, Commander!” Lena teases as she pulls away and imitates a salute. Alex scoffs her goodbye and drives off. </p><p>____________</p><p>“It is the first time astrophysicists agree on highlighting this exceptional nature of a phenomenon that seems to have repeated itself. As in 1989 there was a very similar storm with a symmetrical structure that also lasted 72 hours,” The meteorologist on TV drones on as Lena checks on a patient as she helps a nurse, before walking out and telling the woman at the desk her findings and being reminded that she has surgery. She joined Jess, who was pushing the gurney containing the patient she was helping on operating, and helped her push. </p><p>“So, your vacation seemed short,” Lena spoke to signify her presence. </p><p>“My vacation may have been short, but it was intense,” Jess replied with a waggle of her eyebrows.</p><p>Lena picked up on the innuendo. “Don’t tell me you brought someone home in your suitcase?” She teased.</p><p>Jess chuckled. “How’s the new house?” She said changing the subject.</p><p>Confusion spread across Lena’s face as she chose her next words. “Wait, when did I tell you about the move?”</p><p>“You told half the hospital, and that half spread it to the other half,” Jess replied, not looking at Lena’s eyes.</p><p>“That seems like something I would do,” Lena shook her head in agreement. “It was all quick. The owner left the house years ago, she was in a hurry to sell it. It needs some work, but that’s all, we can’t complain. It’s a beautiful house,” She joyfully rambled on. </p><p>The patient on the gurney scoffs, “You may not be able to complain, but I can,” He informs them. “They are going to cut into my head!” He tells Jess with fear and nervousness in his eyes. </p><p>Lena places her hand on his shoulder, “Don’t worry, My brother and I are the best specialists in craniotomy in the hospital, really.” She smiles when the man visibly calms down and is pushed into the OR. Lena takes off her coat and goes to scrub for the surgery.</p><p>She’s halfway done with her first scrub when she hears Lex’s voice boom through the OR. “Hello, everyone!” He says as he enters the OR and makes his way towards the patient. “Hello, Mr. Mendoza. Are you ready?” He says as the patient shoots to grab his hand. Lex gives it a small squeeze. “Here we go,” He responds, and the patient releases his hand as the anesthesiologist places him under general anesthesia and Lex makes his way to scrub his hands. “Good Morning, my beautiful sister,” He greets her.</p><p>“Hello, Lex,” She beams at him as she goes to rinse her hands before scrubbing again, “Congratulations on your new article.”</p><p>Lex grabs a new scrub and an amused look spreads on his face, “You read it?”</p><p>Lena hums her response as she scrubs in between her fingers. “What happened to Mrs. Blanco?” She says after a beat.</p><p>“She developed ‘Alequestesia’,” He replies as he leans down to rinse his hands.</p><p>“From injury of the spinothalamic tract?”</p><p>“No, she just required an anterolateral cordotomy,” Lex shot back immediately at his sister's inaccuracy.</p><p>Lena clicks her tongue, “Right.” Absentmindedly scrubbing harder as she internally scolds herself for the mistake.</p><p>“Each time I invite you to help me operate at our hospital, the more I don’t understand why you quit medicine,” He retorted as he scrubbed his forearms and gave her a small smirk.</p><p>“Well, Sam merged her company with us, and we had Ruby,” She told him happily. “And you know I don’t half ass things. So… in a way you’re lucky,” Lena looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. At Lex’s dumbfounded expression, Lena continued. “Otherwise I would have been the best neurosurgeon,” She jokes.</p><p>“Oh, boy! Am I a lucky man for you to have finally fallen in love,” He quips back.</p><p>_____________</p><p>“Hi!” Lena greets her daughter and her friend. “How’s your day?”</p><p>“Can Alyssa come home with us?” Ruby pleads and puts on her ‘puppy eyes'.</p><p>“Sure! If her mom is okay with it,” Lena glances back and forth between the duo.</p><p>“I’m sure she is!” The small girl rushes as she fidgets with the strap of her backpack. </p><p>“Let me call her right now.” Before Lena pulls out her phone feels someone’s hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“Girls…” Alyssa’s mom says softly. “What did we agree on?”</p><p>“No more shenanigans,” The pair lower their heads.</p><p>“I’m taking her to the dentists,” Alyssa’s mom informs Lena, before looking back at the tiny duo.</p><p>“Oh,” Lena drags out in a chuckle, “Alright, okay, okay.” She shakes her head and lets her phone drop back into her purse. “I get it now. Are we going home, storyteller?” She extends her to Ruby. </p><p>Ruby takes it and shakes her head. “We almost got away with it,” She laughingly tells Lena as she goes to hold her hand.</p><p>“How about this, we invite them for a sleepover this week?”</p><p>“Text me when and I’ll make sure we are free that day,” Alyssa’s mom replies.</p><p>“Okay, see you then girls,” Lena says as she waves goodbye. Ruby lets out a disappointed ‘bye’ as she waves. </p><p>_____________</p><p>“Are your eyes closed?” Lena asks as she carries her daughter.</p><p>“I promise. I can’t see anything.” Ruby squeezes her tighter.</p><p>“Good, we are almost there,” Lena softly drags out as she continues to walk, stopping to let her daughter down. “Ready? Now open your eyes”</p><p>Ruby lets out a surprised gasp and goes to hug her mom tightly, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She runs over to the swing and holds the metal chains.</p><p>“You want to try?” Lena says as Ruby examines the swing set and nods. “Okay, come on.” Lena helps her daughter up on the swing set before pushing her softly. “Now pump out your legs with each movement,” Lena instructs as she continues to push her daughter each time she swings back. </p><p>“This is fun!” Ruby excitedly declares when the sky rumbles.</p><p>Lena stops and stares up at the sky. It soon flashes with lightning and turns the sky darker than usual. “Come on, we have to get inside.” She says as she carefully stops Ruby from swinging.</p><p>“But I was having fun,” Ruby complains with a pout.</p><p>“I knew sweetie, but lighting doesn’t get along well with metal or wood.” Lena strokes her back before picking her up and taking her inside. Lena gently places her daughter down in the foyer and goes to place things around the house while Ruby explores. Lena goes to the hallway to place family pictures on a shelf when she hears rustling coming from the room nearby. She opens the door slowly, ready to fight off whoever is in the room. She smiles when she sees Sam bobbing her head to music as she examines things in a box. Lena smirks as she quietly walks over to Sam. She scares her and Sam props herself with a hand on a box, accidentally dropping books with the other.</p><p>“Oh shit,” Sam whispers when she realizes it's Lena, then chuckles.</p><p>“Hey there,” Lena jokes as she kisses Sam’s cheek.</p><p>“One of these days you are going to give me a heart attack,” Sam teases as she takes off her headphones. “When did you arrive?”</p><p>“Half an hour ago.”</p><p>“Half an hour ago,” Sam repeats as she straightens up</p><p>“And you? What are you doing?” Lena says as she props herself up with her hands.</p><p>“Organizing the books for our library.” Sam picks up a book and takes out a picture that was placed in between pages.</p><p>“What’s this?” Lena says as she takes the picture in her hands. “This is the girl you were dating when we met, right?” She flips it to show Sam.</p><p>“What is this?” Sam smirks and points at Lena’s face</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Is this,” Sam starts. “Is this jealousy I detect?” Sam makes a quick movement that makes Lena yelp as she finds herself on Sam’s lap.</p><p>“No,” Lena retorts.</p><p>“I saw it in your eyes, you’re a little jealous.”</p><p>“No,” Lena repeats herself, shaking her head in disagreement.</p><p>“Admit it, you are jealous.” Sam tickles Lena as she leans forward. “You got jealous.”</p><p>“No, I didn’t” Lena says after the torture had stopped and placed her hands around Sam’s neck. “No, I was just thinking she’s beautiful.”</p><p>Sam reaches behind her head and grabs the picture from Lena’s Hands, “Let's see. Lana Lang, maybe I’ll call her one of these days,” Sam teases. “So pretty.”</p><p>Lena scoffs and looks down at Sam’s hands, “What happened here?” She takes Sam’s index finger in her hand.</p><p>“Oh, nothing I was over there…”</p><p>“What where?” Lena interjects.</p><p>“Over there by that sign.” Sam points to the old rusty Midvale sign. “I cut myself trying to hang it up.”</p><p>“Did you disinfect it?”</p><p>Sam grabs both of Lena’s hands after discarding the picture to the side. “Honey, it’s a tiny cut,” She kisses her hands. “I disinfected it, and used a band aid, Dr. Luthor,” Sam jokes. “You know I always liked the idea that after graduation everyone would call you Dr. Lena Luthor?”</p><p>“Alright, let's go,” Lena chuckled as she got up and noticed a closet door. She opened it to find an old analog TV set and camera. “What’s this?” She says as she opens the other door. “Incredible.”</p><p>“This camera must be around 20 or 30 years old,” Sam excitedly informs as she picks up the camera. Lena tries to open up a dusty chest, and they both stop when the lights flicker. They both laugh once the lights stop flickering and Lena opens the chest.</p><p>“Look at all these tapes.” Lena grabs one labeled '<em> Cindy Lauper, November 9, 1989' </em>.</p><p>“They must have been here since the 80s,” Sam replies as she grabs a cassette of her own.</p><p>“Why don’t we get Ruby and see if it works?”</p><p>Sam rushes off to find her daughter, leaving Lena to set up and connect the TV. Once Sam returns with her daughter in tow, Lena asks for her help to move the couch near the TV. When they finish, Sam goes to place the '<em> Cindy Lauper' </em> tape into the camera and presses play. On the screen they see a young blonde girl playing the electric guitar sitting on top of an amp. As the video plays the young girl it cuts from the girl playing chords to playing riffs. At one point, the girl switches to an acoustic guitar, playing a sweet melody. The video badly cuts to the young girl holding her electric guitar again, but she now rests a foot on the ground while the other one is on the amp. There’s another cut and the young girl is singing a bit off-key as she plays the guitar.</p><p>"<em> If you're lost you can look and you will find me </em></p><p>
  <em> Time after time" </em>
</p><p>“Did you know they recorded this tape on this exact date, but in 1989?” Sam says as she lifts a case and shows it to Lena and Ruby.</p><p>“Seriously?” Lena replies, even though she already knew that, but loves to hear her wife explain it.</p><p>“Yeah, it's true.”</p><p>“Put on another one,” Lena says after a moment when the tape stops.</p><p>“That was the last one.” Sam takes out the tape from the camera.</p><p>“You like it?” Lena asks Ruby as she grabs the case of the tape and hands it to her.</p><p>“Who’s gonna keep it? Who’s gonna keep it safe?” Sam hands over the tape to Rub. “I should head downstairs to make dinner.”</p><p>“Yeah, I'll take a shower,” Lena replies as the lights flicker again.</p><p>Ruby hands the tape to Lena, scared. “You hungry,” Sam gently poked her side. The TV cracks before Ruby could reply, causing Lena to gasp, and Ruby to lean into her side. </p><p>“The streets of East Berlin seem absolutely normal. Only a few curious onlookers have come to the Brandenburg Gate,” A man says as the TV shows footage of a news report.</p><p>“What’s this?” Lena looks over to Sam as she holds their daughter.</p><p>“At checkpoint Charlie, the crossing point between both Berlins, the first-”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Sam glances over from the TV to Lena.</p><p>“There’s no tape in it,” Lena points at the camera</p><p>“No,” Sam looks at her concerned. “Besides, now the channels don’t broadcast in analogue.”</p><p>__________</p><p>“No, it makes little sense, Sam,” Alex bickers from inside the kitchen.</p><p>“No?” Sam quips back.</p><p>“A television signal from 25 years ago?” Alex scoffs.</p><p>Lena and Ruby add some more firewood into the fireplace before joining Eliza at the table. “Did you say hi to Eliza?” Lena asks her daughter. Ruby smiles and rounds the table to give Eliza a side hug and a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>“I swear, the TV came alive,” Sam retorts.</p><p>“Came alive?” Alexa laughs.</p><p>“Yes, it came alive!” Sam yells as she picks up the salt.</p><p>“Are you listening to your crazy wife?” Alex says as she leaves the kitchen with a plate of dinner rolls and a wineglass in her hand.</p><p>“Are you guys still arguing over the TV?” Lena chuckles.</p><p>“Of course we are!” Sam yells from the kitchen.</p><p>“Cover your ears, honey,” Alex instructs Ruby as she sets her wineglass down on the table.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because I’m going to tell your mom a secret,” Alex replies to Ruby’s sass.</p><p>“Mom and I don’t have secrets,” Ruby informs, shaking her head.</p><p>“Mmm.” Alex straightens up in her chair.</p><p>Lena looks over to her child. “Not even one?” She asks, surprised. “Not even a little one?”</p><p>Ruby beams at them and bounces in her chair. “Oh, okay,” Lena says as she looks at Alex. “What’s the secret then?”</p><p>Alex takes a sip of her wine. “I was the better catch,” She says as she points to herself.</p><p>“Not even you believe that!” Sam retorts, still inside the kitchen.</p><p>“Stop eavesdropping!” Lena sarcastically yells at her wife.</p><p>“I was a better catch and you let me go. Why?” Alex asks her as she is about to sip on her wine. </p><p>Lena chuckles and looks at her daughter. “What can I say?” She smiles and looks back at Alex. “Why? Because some things are destined to be and others aren’t.”</p><p>“Okay,” Alex sighs and goes to reach for Lena’s hand.</p><p>“Hey! What is this? That hand.” Sam swats Alex’s hand as she sets down a plate.</p><p>“What do you care, Mrs. Jealous,” Lena teases, stopping Sam’s hand.</p><p>“I’m gone for 5 minutes and you guys are already holding hands,” Sam quips back playfully.</p><p>“So jealous.”</p><p>“Who wants some meat?” Sam picks up a knife and fork and begins cutting up the meat.</p><p>“Eliza.” Lena says extending her hand for Eliza’s plate. </p><p>“Oh, hey by the way. Can you explain to me why you still use that toaster of a TV? I don’t know. Can’t you afford to like to buy a new one?” Alex teases as Sam places food on Eliza’s plate.</p><p>“Dear wife, do you hear something?”</p><p>“It’s called an Alex,” Lena chuckles</p><p>“Hilarious. All we were doing was watching the tapes we found, that’s all,” Sam shoots a glare at the redhead. “There was a girl singing.”</p><p>“A girl?” Alex’s face falls, and she lets out a shaky breath.</p><p>“Do you want some?” Sam asks Lena as she picks up a portion of meat with tongs.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena replies, holding her plate in front of her. “Thank you.”</p><p>Alex takes a deep breath in and shakes her head. “That girl you saw was Kara Kent,” She says, not meeting their eyes. “She was my best friend, practically my sister,” She continued, scratching her temple. “She loved playing guitar. She would always tell me she would become a rock star,” She let out a sad huff. “My mother would take us to school together every day, right mom?”</p><p>“Yes,” Eliza nervously replied as Alex rubbed her arm.</p><p>“Until,” Alex clicked her tongue. “The neighbor from next-door killed his wife.”</p><p>“Alex!”</p><p>“And Kara saw it,” Alex continued ignoring her mother and staring blankly at the table.</p><p>“Alex, enough!”</p><p>“Then she was run over by a car,” Alex finished dejectedly, looking at them for the first time. The lights flickered again as the thunder rumbled, causing them all to look up. “It was on a night like this, with a storm. Remember, mother?” Alex added after the lights stabilized and looked over at her mother. </p><p>“Stop it,” Eliza whispered.</p><p>“Remember the next day the lightning hit the front of the school, by the clock. A-And we had no power and no class for a week,” Alex rambled on.</p><p>“Enough!” Eliza shouted, angrily. “Shut up. Yeah?” She lowered her voice to a more gentle tone, “Can’t you see you are frightening the child?” Eliza finished motioning to Ruby, who was calmly eating.</p><p>____________</p><p>“It’s okay. It’s just a lighting storm,” Lena cooed as she stroked Ruby’s hair. “It will pass, just trust me, you’ll see… Hey you want to know a secret?” Lena adjusts Ruby on the bed so she’s laying down. Once Ruby is off of her lap, she gets up and grabs a small jewelry box, then settles back down next to Ruby, pulling the blanket over them. Ruby readjusts herself to lie on Lena’s chest. “Here look,” Lena says, stroking back again and pointing at the jewelry box with her free hand. “So when I was 7 years old. I was really, <em> really </em>  frightened by storms, just like you. And you know what I did?”</p><p>“No,” Ruby shook her, smiling at her mother.</p><p>“Look,” Lena says as she places her hand on the jewelry box. “My biological mother gave me this jewelry box.” She opened the box and music started playing while a small ballerina spun around. “I looked at the ballerina. I watched her dance and forgot about everything. I watched her dance and dance and dance until I fell asleep. Do you want to try it?” </p><p>Ruby looked up at Lena and nodded her head, then adjusted herself more comfortably before staring at the ballerina dance. Lena stayed with her until she fell asleep, carefully extricating herself to not wake her up and leaving the room. She slowly closed the door and made her way to her room. She found Sam on her laptop, reading an article and rubbing a scar on her neck.</p><p>“Does it hurt,” Lena softly calls out. “You should get it checked?”</p><p>“It doesn’t.” Sam briefly looks at Lena before diverting her eyes back to the screen. “Did you know he killed himself 3 months after entering prison,” Sam says as she points to a mugshot of Jeremiah. “It says here he owned a slaughterhouse and was planning to bury his wife underneath it,” Sam scoffs as Lena wraps her arms around her. “Who confesses something like that? Something he was going to do, but didn’t because they arrested him first?”</p><p>“Why don’t we change the subject?” Lena groans, detangling herself from Sam and moving to the closet.</p><p>“It’s just that… A person who announces what he would have done with his wife’s corpse if he had the chance. That’s not your average murderer,” Sam hastily replies as she gets up from her chair.</p><p>“Are you a psychologist now?” Lena taunts as she picks up her wife’s pants.</p><p>“I’m no psychologist, honey. But it’s strange. Don’t you think so?” Sam confesses staring at the laptop screen.</p><p>“Hey, do you want to wash this,” Lena diverts her attention to the pants in her hand. </p><p>“I love it when you make that face, when you don’t like something,” Sam teases as she points to Lena, then to the article. “Your furrow your brow and you get this slight crinkle.”</p><p>“No,” Lena retorts as she searches for anything that her wife might have left behind in her pants</p><p>“Yes. Your eyebrow gets this little crinkle. It’s adorable,” Sam teases as she points to her brow.</p><p>“Oh, yeah?” Lena arches her eyebrow, and she feels something in one pocket.</p><p>“Yes, it’s very cute.”</p><p>“What’s this?” Lena pulls out a matchbook. “Sam, are you smoking again?” She flips the matchbook, examining it.</p><p>“Are you controlling me now?” Sam’s tone changes to one Lena’s never heard before. As she looks up Sam’s face is unreadable and she’s gazing at Lena’s eyes. Suddenly, Lena feels something creep up her spine. </p><p>“What now?” Lena forces out a laugh.</p><p>“I said, are you controlling me?” Sam’s tone had grown angry. Lena’s fake smile fell, and she continued to search for something in Sam’s expressionless face. Sam let out a small laugh, then bursting into maniacal laughter. Lena took one step back, fearing the worst. “Honey, please. I’m joking. You always fall for it, you know me. I like to joke. Yesterday in the hotel, in Gotham. I went to the café..”</p><p>“You don’t have to explain yourself.”</p><p>“I had one and dumped the rest.” Sam placed her fingers together and brought it up to her mouth, taking a loud inhale, then un-pinching her fingers. “I promise. Let’s get it out of here,” She said as she gently took the matchbook away from her hands.</p><p>“Okay,” Lena sighed and shook her head.</p><p>“Watch.” Sam went to the window behind her laptop and opened it. She turned to make sure Lena was watching her before throwing it out the window. “Done.” Sam turned around and stood in front of Lena, placing her hands at her sides. “Like nothing happened.”</p><p>“Okay.” Lena chuckled.</p><p>“Like nothing happened, really?” Sam took a small step forward, leaning in a little.</p><p>“Yes. Yes” Lena smiled. Sam surges forward and kisses her.</p><p>“Best wife ever.”</p><p>_____________</p><p>“We can now bring you the emergency story that we announced previously. Reporting is our special correspondent, Jose Ricardo.” Lena woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of the broadcast from earlier. She looked over at Sam, who was restfully sleeping and carefully disentangled herself, turning on the lamp on her nightstand. She looked over to her door and found it was ajar. Did she close it before she went to sleep? Or had Sam left it open? She couldn’t remember.</p><p>“Germans from the East that want to come here to the West. It is the first time in 27 years that the Berlin Wall no longer exists for its citizens from the Other Germany.” The reporter continued as Lena made her way carefully towards the room that contained the old TV set. “November 9th, 1989 is a day for the history of Germany and Europe as a whole. This couple couldn’t believe it.”</p><p>Lena opened the door and flicked on the lights and walked in front of the TV. “They only had to present their identity card, and they received a stamp for it.” The TV was now broadcasting a section of the news report she had not seen before. She leaned towards the TV and was about to turn it off when a loud rumble of thunder hit and caused the lights to turn off for a moment. When they came back Lena gasped. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing on the TV screen. The TV had stopped broadcasting the news report and was showing footage of Kara. It showed the young blonde trying to fix something above the TV. Possibly the camera, Lena thought. She kneeled down as Kara walked into the closet to grab a cassette tape from the chest that Lena now had. Lena quickly turned to the couch and grabbed the chest to search for the cassette tape that was labeled under the same date of today. Lena couldn’t believe her eyes as she opened the case. It was still in there. The cassette tape was still inside. She quickly got up and turned on the camera, and Lena checked the camera’s wires.</p><p>“<em> You're calling to me, I can't hear </em></p><p>
  <em> What you've said" </em>
</p><p>The young blonde started singing before she suddenly went quiet. Lena continued to see if something had broken in the camera or its wires when she suddenly heard a second voice that didn’t belong to the young blonde.</p><p>“Kara, honey. I’m going to work,” The woman spoke as Lena bent down to look at the screen.</p><p>“Mom, I think the camera broke,” Kara replied as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. </p><p>“Don’t stay up late. You have school tomorrow, okay?” The woman kissed Kara’s forehead and stroked her hair. </p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Kara, did you record my tape?” The woman stopped and turned around to face her daughter.</p><p>“Yeah,” Kara beamed.</p><p>“Hey!” Lena could hear a kissing sound then a ‘pew’. Then the blonde placed a hand on her chest and groaned in mock pain, taking a stumbled step back. Did this happen the first time? Did she forget what happened? Lena raced through the possible options as she leaned towards the TV. The young blonde turned around and stared straight at her.</p><p>“Hello?” Kara blurted out. “Can you hear me?”</p><p>Lena gasped and took a step back before rushing towards the TV and turning it off. She was halfway towards the door when she stopped. Was she having a nightmare? Could Kara actually hear her? Lena should try to talk to the TV, however crazy she might look or sound? It couldn’t hurt to try, right? She walked back to the TV and turned it on.</p><p>“Hello?” The young blonde repeated, smacking the TV. “C-can you see me?”</p><p>“Yes,” Lena huffed out as she went to sit in front of the TV. “Yes, I can see you.”</p><p>“How’d you do it,” Kara gushed.</p><p>“How do I do it?”</p><p>“Wait, hold on,” Kara interrupted her and pointed at something behind Lena. “That’s the Midvale sign. The same sign from the Midvale train station.”</p><p>Lena turned around and saw the sign sticking out of a box. “The sign?”</p><p>“It’s the same one…” Kara tilted her head and squinted. “Just worn out.”</p><p>“It-” Lena paused. It barely dawned on her that she was talking to a dead kid. “I-It’s the same one.”</p><p>“Why do you have it?”</p><p>“My w-wife and I stole it.” Lena adjusted herself to sit more comfortably. She might have lost her mind.</p><p>“I don’t understand,” Kara replied, shaking her head.</p><p>“Alex, your neighbor, introduced me to Sam.” Lena felt the urge to explain herself. “I met Alex at the Midvale station.”</p><p>“Alex Medina?” Kara asked, swiftly getting up to look out the window behind the TV, and saw Alex was brushing her teeth.</p><p>“No, wait,” Lena shouted after her. “Her mother takes both of you to school!” Lena continued, even though she couldn’t see the blonde anymore. “Do you want to know how I know?” Lena rushed out thinking that Kara was about to leave the room. “Because it already happened.”</p><p>Kara immediately sat in front of the TV at that. “What already happened?” As soon as those words left her mouth, she heard shouting from her neighbor’s house.</p><p>“What is it?” Lena asked, but she already had a notion of what was happening.</p><p>“There’s shouting outside,” Kara replied and promptly headed to the window that faced her neighbor’s house.</p><p>“Wait! Wait, Wait!” Lena yelled after her. The only response she got was the sound of curtains opening. “Kara! Kara, come back!”</p><p>“How do you know my name?” Kara suddenly appeared in front of the TV. </p><p>“Because you used to live here?”</p><p>“Where is here?” Kara nervously moved some of her hair behind her ear. The shouting became louder. “Something’s wrong next door.”</p><p>“Yes, but don’t go over there. You shouldn’t leave the house. Please!” Lena’s voice broke. God, she was losing her mind.</p><p>“Wait, a moment. Am I dreaming?” Kara asked, pinching herself.</p><p>“Wait. Look what I have here.” Lena picked up the chest so that the tapes could be visible on the screen. “See?”</p><p>Kara was either dreaming or losing her mind because that woman on the TV had her chest and all of her tapes. She looked back to confirm that her chest hadn’t left the closet, then turned back to the stranger. “Hey, those are my tapes. How can you have them there with you when there with me?”</p><p>“Kara, I live in your house. This is your house, just 25 years later.” Lena set down the box next to her and searched the room for more evidence to prove she wasn’t lying.</p><p>“What?” Kara had definitively lost her mind.</p><p>“Look. I’m going to show you something.” Lena pulled out her phone and searched for the article of Kara’s death. “Look, see?” Lena’s voice was shaky as she turned over the phone, showing Kara an article with a picture of her with the headline '<em> Child killed in Midvale' </em>. “See. This is you, if you go outside.”</p><p>“No! This is a trick! How are you doing it?!”</p><p>“No, no! It’s not, it’s real!” Lena quickly replied, even though she herself believed this was a trick being played.</p><p>“No, you’re lying,” Kara countered as she went to turn off the TV.</p><p>“Kara, wait! Wait!” Lena surged forward and placed her hand on the TV as Kara stopped. “I know what’s going to happen at your school tomorrow, okay?” Lena went on even as Kara began to slowly move back, away from the TV. “A lighting bolt is going to hit the clock at the entrance, the power will go out.” Lena exasperatedly placed a hand on her temple. “And because there is no power you won’t have classes for an entire week,” Lena half-chuckled her response. “If you stay in your room, you’ll see I’m right, but if you go outside, tomorrow you’ll be dead.” Lena knew she was scaring the girl, but she didn’t care. She was going to try and save her because there was no way someone would have known and pre-recorded all of Kara’s responses, but Kara stood up. “Kara, wait! Please wait!” It was no use, Kara wasn’t paying attention to her. “Kara, Kara! Please! Kara, please, wait!” Lena pleaded, crying. “Please stay inside. Kara, don't go out on the street, please!” The TV signal cut out and Lena could barely see Kara. “Kara, please! A car will hit you when you go out onto the street!” Lena persisted even as the TV looked like it was turning off. “Please, No!”</p><p>Kara rushed out of the room, it scared her.  A woman on the TV just told her she would die. She ran out of her front door and through her front yard out onto the sidewalk. As she closed the gate behind herself she saw a car speeding through the street. She had barely stopped in front of it, a little closer, and she would’ve gotten hit by a car. Kara knew right there that the woman was right. Not knowing where else to go, she ran to Alex’s house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. It's a Pity It Didn't Happen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lena is confronted with the consequences of the butterfly effect.  All mistakes are mine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Alura had just opened the door when the phone rang, and she rushed over to answer it. “Hey Alura, it’s Eliza, did I wake you?” Eliza voiced from the phone as Alura locked the front door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I’m just getting back from work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t feel well, J’onn will take the kids to school, is that okay?” Eliza’s voice was raspy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, don’t worry. I hope you feel better soon. Okay, bye.” Alura turned and saw Kara slumped over the table drawing. She hung up the phone and made her way over to her daughter. “Why are you awake?” She put her hand on Kara’s back and gave it a gentle rub. “Alex’s mother isn’t feeling well, so J’onn will take you both to school, okay?” Kara just let out a huff in response as she continued to draw a TV. “Kara, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom, I dreamed without sleeping,” Kara deadpanned sitting up straight and turned to face her mother. “A woman from the future spoke to me through the TV.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena woke up on a bed in the hospital, and was wearing a jacket. Lena got up in the bed just to make sure she still wasn’t dreaming. Nope, Lena was definitely at the busy hospital. Wasn’t she just home? How did she get here? Did she not go home after helping her brother in the OR? Was it only a nightmare? Lena’s mind tried to make a rational explanation, but it only came up with more questions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena!” She was snapped out of her thoughts by a nurse. “They’re waiting for you in the OR.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right. The surgery,” Lena whispered as she got out of the bed. “I still have to do another surgery with my brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena walked to the locker room to change into her scrubs before she made her way over to Lex’s preferred OR. As she entered, she found someone else on the assist side, already gowned with a scalpel in his hands. She continued to eye the room until her eyes stopped when they landed on the patient. “Why is he here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Mendoza has cerebrovascular insufficiency.” A nurse replied, handing the man next to her a clamp with gauze on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but Lex already operated on him yesterday.” Lena looked at them in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mrs. Luthor, this is your patient.” The man pointed at the patient with the clamps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena. We need to open him up now.” The nurse countered at Lena’s lost expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Luthor, are you ready to get gowned?” Jess said from behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you just call me?” Lena turned around and took a step forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m sorry?” Jess stammered, taking a step back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s happening here?” Lena replied angrily then turning around to face the rest of them. “What is this? Did Lillian put you up to this? Or is Lex pulling his shitty pranks again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Luthor?” Jess said with caution moving forward as if she was about to get her head ripped off by the lioness that is Lena’s rage. “Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena realized Lex wasn’t pulling a prank as it lacked his finesse and his charm. It also wasn’t her stepmother’s doing, it lacked more reprimand. She ran out of the OR. She must find answers as to what the hell was happening since she talked to Kara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, be careful with the skateboard. I’ll be back at 5, okay?” J’onn ordered as the girls got out of the car. Alex was about to reply when her attention was diverted to the school building. Lighting had hit the building where the clock was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened, J’onn?” Alex said after a beat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Alex. we’ll have to ask.” J’onn started walking forward to where a teacher was crowded by a group of parents and children. “Excuse me, miss.” He lightly tapped her shoulder, and the lady turned around. “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good Morning Alex and Kara..” The lady first greeted the girls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Mrs. Grant.” Alex gave a small wave and Kara tried to give her the best fake smile she could muster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, Mr. J’onzz the school was hit during the storm and it caused an electrical failure. There’s no power, so we’ve suspended classes until it gets fixed.” Mrs. Grant pointed upwards to the clock then to the school front doors where the technicians started checking the lights inside the school building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, alright. Thanks Mrs. Grant.” J’onn gave her a small smile before looking down at the girls. “Come on kids, let’s go home then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara’s jaw dropped, the lady on the TV was right. That could only mean she had saved her from getting run over and that she hadn’t lost her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, hurry up!” Alex yelled from the car, snapping her out of her thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeez, Alex! Could you at least try to hide your excitement,” Kara retorted as she ran towards the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Mrs. Luthor. What can I assist you in today?” A receptionist said as Lena walked through the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I… I’m looking for classroom 103?” Lena gave her a shy smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Mrs. Jones' room?” The receptionist arched an eyebrow at her. “She’s currently teaching a class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that. This is regarding something urgent she requested that I wanted to see to it personally,” Lena lied, she wasn’t about to get put in an asylum because no one believed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yes. I forgot she’s getting married real soon.” The lady smiled at her, then pointed at the set of doors behind her. “You want to go through those doors until you find a water fountain next to the elevator that goes up to the teachers’ lounge. Then take a right and walk out those doors and go to the building with an ‘A’ on the side. Then from there you just find the room number.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena smiled back at the woman before walking out the doors she pointed at. As Lena walked, she wondered why someone would easily let her through. She wasn’t wearing her usual pencil skirt or a pantsuit. God, did she own the school? Or was she a board member? Lena couldn’t wrap her head around this ‘reality’ she was experiencing. She found herself in a hallway of classrooms and searched for the room, finding the door already opened and her daughter’s best friend coloring. Lena kneeled next to her desk. “Hey Alyssa, have you seen Ruby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Ruby?” Alyssa replied, putting the crayon back into the box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby, my daughter. I’m her mother. Don’t you remember me?” Lena asked, fidgeting with her jacket’s zipper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Mrs.” Alyssa shook her head. Lena stood up and surveyed the room. She saw that there was someone else sitting in her daughter's desk and there was no other desk that was empty. She walked out of the room and found Alyssa’s mom walking a kid down the hall. “Hello, Miranda.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pablo, go to class.” Miranda patted the kid’s back, dismissing him. “May I help you, Mrs. Luthor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’m looking for Ruby. Can I see her for a minute?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby….” Miranda repeated back to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby, Ruby Arias. Ruby is-” The other woman was clearly confused. “Miranda, I’m Lena!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know who you are, Mrs. Luthor. The school wouldn’t continue to be here if it hadn’t been for you and your brother. But I don’t recognize the child’s name,” Miranda replied with a small frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m looking for my daughter.” Lena’s voice broke and tears threatened to fall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mrs. Luthor, are you okay?” Miranda placed a hand on her shoulder. Lena scoffed and removed the hand off her shoulder. She was tired of everyone not believing her. She was tired of being looked at by everyone like she was crazy. But she was mostly tired of them asking if she was okay. Lena chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Yeah, just… Just being silly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miranda slowly nodded her head. “So sorry Mrs. Luthor, but I have some matters to attend if you don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena walked away, wiping her eyes. Maybe Sam had the answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a short drive home, at least to Kara. Alex went off on the many things she could do when she got home laughing here and there with J’onn in his green Ford Pinto. Kara had only half paid attention to her. Her mind had been occupied by the woman on the TV. Her green eyes and pale features were ingrained into her head since last night. That woman had saved her from her death. Everything that woman said had come true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, We are at your house.” Alex nudged her, breaking her out of her spiral. Kara got out of the car and searched in her pockets for her house keys. When she didn’t find it she searched the small pocket where she sometimes left it in. She threw her backpack back on her shoulders and awkwardly scratched the back of her head. “I-I forgot my keys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knock on the door. If your mother doesn’t answer I’m sure Eliza, let you stay until your mother wakes up. We’ll wait for you.” J’onn assured her, then laughed at her clumsiness. Kara walked to her front door and knocked on it. She stood there waiting for an answer. She tried again after a few moments passed and she still got no response. She walked back to the car and found them out on the sidewalk. She gave J’onn a small shake of her head when he looked at her. They all walked to Alex’s house next to hers. J’onn knocked on the door and they waited there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Class is suspended,” J’onn spoke out when Eliza opened the door. “Kara forgot her keys and her mother’s asleep.” He motioned with his head towards Kara before he let out a hefty sigh, “Eliza, I have to go to the airport.” Eliza nodded and motioned for them to come inside. “Go on kids.” J’onn gave them a gentle push as they entered the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Lydia. I’m here to see Sam,” Lena said as she walked up to Sam’s assistant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ms. Kane?” Lydia smiled at her. “She’s waiting in her office. You can head on back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stared her down as she walked away. Walking through the halls of the office until she found Sam’s office near the end of the hall. She opened the door and found Sam typing away on her computer. “Sam. What’s happening?” Lena paused when Sam looked at her. “Lydia doesn’t recognize me” She continued when Sam gave her a confused look. “I went to Ruby’s school. She’s not there. They said she’s not a student. Miranda doesn’t know me and her best friend Alyssa doesn’t know who she is.” Lena rambled even as she felt her eyes sting. She looked up at Sam as she got up from her seat and she stepped forward. “Where did you leave Ruby this morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. You’re not Ms. Kane, right?” Sam pointed at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, enough, really,” She huffed out. “Really, that’s enough. I’m exhausted. I me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam broke out laughing and clapped her hands. “Son of a bitch! Damn Lauren.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, who the fuck is Lauren!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, I believed you for a second! You’re brilliant!” Sam picked up her phone and was about to call someone when Lena grabbed her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Lauren!” She yelled as Sam removed her hands. “This is not funny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t touch,” Sam quipped back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena tried to grab the lapels of Sam’s suit, but Sam moved away before she could. “Sam, it's me!” She cried and hit her sides in exasperation. “Quit the fucking joke, Sam! Tell me where Ruby is!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough!” Sam yelled at her, shaking her head. “Who the hell are you and who is Ruby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. “Ruby’s our daughter!” Lena yelled in between sobs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it. I’m calling the cops.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara told me that last night she heard shouting in Mr. Danvers’ house,” Alex told her mother from the dining table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A woman screamed, it was scary.” Kara shuddered before taking a bite of her pizza.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it was Ms. Thompson,” Alex said, still chewing her food. “What do you think mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliza turned to them from the kitchen. “Did you uh… see or hear anything else, Kara?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara shook her head and quickly swallowed the food in her mouth. “No, because the TV…” She paused, they would’ve thought she was crazy if she told them about the woman on the TV. “I uh… I looked out the window, but there was nothing.”  Eliza nodded at her response and took a sip of her water. Kara and Alex finished the last of their pizza and headed up to Alex’s room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, we spied from my bedroom, but you know what? The blinds are down and they tied Bruno to the shed, and he is howling from hunger,” Alex informs her as she looks through her window at Jeremiah’s house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Danvers always feeds him in the morning, but not today,” Kara replies and looks over her shoulder at Alex. “Alex, do you believe time travel is possible?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, I may love science to death, but that one is still out on jury.” Alex shrugged and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, we have an entire week to play Castlevania!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara chuckled, shaking her head as she stood up. “Okay fine, but you better not break your controller when I ace the game without dying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch it, Kent!” Alex countered playfully, glaring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I say? I didn’t start any of this,” Lena said, leaning on the detective's desk. “I don’t know why Sam doesn’t recognize me or why anyone from my daughter’s school acts like I own the place.” Lena took in a long, shaky breath and shook her head. “I know it seems like I’m lying, or crazy, but the only thing I can think of is that it’s some shitty joke. Can you help me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I can help you.” The detective adjusted their glasses and picked up a notepad and pen. “But first I need to ask you some questions. When was the last time you’ve seen your daughter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“L-Last night… S-she was scared.” Lena smiled as she remembered stroking her daughter’s hair until she’d fallen asleep. “She was afraid of the storm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the woman you believe is your wife?” The detective looked up from jotting something on her notepad and tucking in a stray blonde hair behind her ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>my wife,” Lena shot back at the detective. There it was again, another person who thinks she’s lost it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the last thing you remember with her?” The detective nodded and wrote something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last night, too.” Lena remembers Sam’s little prank about the matchbook. “She’d lied to me about something silly… She’d been smoking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She didn’t lie about anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand these questions,” Lena scoffed. Just what was the detective trying to insinuate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I’m trying to see it.” The detective fixed her glasses again. Lena chalked it up to a nervous tick or that the detective’s frames didn’t fit her face properly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’re sitting here wasting time,” Lena countered, scooting closer to the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena.” The detective mirrored the movement. “If you want me to help you, help me understand. All the way to the smallest details.” The detective’s voice changed from confident with nervous undertones to something gentle and caring. Lena could trust the detective in front of her, right? Should she? Lena felt something familiar about this detective, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Lena said after a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before everything changed, what is the last thing you remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The story of a girl who lived in our house.” Lena paused and chuckled. “A neighbor of Alex Medina, our friend. Alex told us she died. Hit by a car as she was running out of another house. A man… it all sounds sinister. A man killed his wife, and… the girl found out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please continue,” The detective said lightly when Lena stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then… Then I think I dreamed about her.” Lena remembers talking to the girl on the TV and warning her about her death. “She appeared on an old television, and… before she died, I tried to save her. I tried to warn her, to save her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember the girl’s name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara Kent,” Lena replied as the detective drank some water. “Something strange happened. I remember nothing else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All I can say right now…” The detective followed her eyes until Lena looked up at her. “Is that you’re confused. Our office confirmed you don’t live where you said, you’re not married to Sam Arias. Also that there is no birth certificate for your daughter. Officially, she was never born. We haven’t found a single photo of her. You don’t even have any photos of her. Nobody has seen her, Lena. The life you speak of only exists in your mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara began drawing the mysterious woman from last night with the TV turned on in the background in hopes she’d make contact again. Kara was finishing up drawing the woman’s hair when the TV sounded like it was switching channels all on its own. Kara grabbed her drawing and ran to the TV. She could barely make out the figure of someone. “Hello?” She called after the moving grey figure. The figure must have heard her because they turned off the TV. “Hey!” Kara yelled as she smacked the screen. “Are you there?” She smacked the side of the TV once, then the screen again. “Come on! Answer me!” Kara continued to smack the screen. “Hey,” She said with a resigned sigh. She got up and stared at her drawing. Kara was no Picasso or Van Gogh, she knew that much, but at least she could have something to show who talked to her last night. The sound of a door distracted her, shutting with force from Jeremiah’s house, but not enough force to sound like they slammed it. She walked over to the window that faced his house and opened the curtains. She saw Jeremiah smoking a cigarette and J’onn sitting next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here’s the passport, ticket and Marks.” J’onn handed him an envelope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Jeremiah stood up and looked through them before putting them in his drawer. J’onn stood up and regarded the other man in the room for a moment before shaking his head and walking out. Kara was sure something bad had happened last night. Why else would Jeremiah need all those things if it was only an argument?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How is she, Doctor?” The detective asked as she entered the CT scan room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, you can call me Lex, how many times do I have to remind you and she's doing good, this is the last test.” Lex turned to face the detective, then back at his sister as she was getting off the machine and was being escorted to a room to change. Once she was out Lex guided them to his office. Lena sat down while the detective stayed outside of Lex’s office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The results don’t show any anatomic alteration.” Lex moved his computer screen to show Lena. “Your brain’s activity is optimal, so we can dismiss any neurological impairment,” Lex finished as Lena nodded. He spun in his chair grabbing a file and handed it to Lena. She opened it and saw her wife’s picture. “She was your first intervention leading a surgical team. You successfully extracted a meningioma from her brain. Whatever you think you know about her, it's there in that file.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's true.” Lena ran a hand through her hair and rested her head on her hand. “Yeah, Sam had a meningioma removed. I remember.” She looked up at Lex and shook her head. “But that wasn't me, because I don’t operate. You’re the neurosurgeon, I wasn’t even in the post-operative. I was at home with the flu and Jess took over.” Lena smacked the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come with me,” Lex sighed as he got up from his desk and opened the door to his office. He turned around to make sure Lena got out before walking over to the end of the hall to another office, the detective following behind them. When they arrived at an open office door, Lex motioned for Lena to walk through first.  Lena looked at the nameplate of the door as she walked in. “This is your office. Look around and I hope this will help you remember,” Lex said as Lena slowly moved away from the door. Lena surveyed the room. On the wall, articles with her picture were hung up on the wall, alongside prestigious awards. “You’re the best neurosurgeon in this hospital… after me, of course.” Lex paused and took a step forward. “Kidding, we built this hospital after you finished your specialty,” He finished as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Lena shuddered as a memory flooded her brain. She was using an endoscope during a surgery on a patient. She quickly turned around to face Lex, who had a concerned look on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s impossible that all my memories are a distortion,” She whispered. What could’ve caused this? Was her other life a lie?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, you should go home now. I’m sure familiar surroundings will help you remember,” Lex instructed as he turned around to the detective then back at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby is my daughter,” Lena hiss whispered. Lex grabbed a file from her desk and handed it to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Luna Martinez,” Lex said as she opened the file. “She died twelve days ago, in the OR. This hasn't happened to you before.” Lena suddenly had a new memory of her operating on a child, halfway through the surgery she flatlined. “Nobody wanted to operate on her, but you took the risk. It was an impossible case, even for you. They prescribed sedatives, and a few days of rest,” Lex added even as Lena's breath caught in her throat. Lena somehow remembered crying on the OR floor in the corner when everyone left. She let an exasperated sigh and closed the file, throwing it on her desk. She looked to her side and found her car keys and her hospital badge with her name on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were due to return this morning, for Mr. Mendoza’s operation, but I’m sure we can extend your leave if you need it, Lena,” Lex said gently as his sister played with the car keys. “You blocked out Luna Martinez, but you talk about Ruby Arias, an imaginary girl your wife gave life to. And you’re convinced that Sam Arias is your wife. It seems like your brain joined your first patient with your last as a coping mechanism,” Lex stopped at the sudden rumble of thunder. “Think of it as if your mind drew a circle,” Lex continued after a moment. Lena walked over to the window and parted the blinds, staring at the storm as Lex looked at the detective sharing a look of worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There must be another explanation,” Lena murmured after a moment. She must find out who this Kara Kent was and where she is now, if she had saved her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like what?” Lex stood at her side, staring at the storm as well. He didn’t get a response as Lena just closed the blinds and walked out of the office. “Where are you going?” Lex asked as he followed her. “Lena!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” The detective spoke out as Lena walked right in front of her and followed her to an elevator. “What is it, Lena?” Where are you going?” The detective followed Lena’s blank eyes as she got in the elevator. Lena pressed a button, not looking back at the detective. “You’re frightened…” The detective started as the doors closed, but was cut off by Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no. I’m not scared.” Lena shook her head, moving away from the detective as far as she could in the elevator, but it was no use the detective stood at her side again. “I’m understanding what’s happening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” The detective retorted, rubbing a hand on her temple, moving to lean on the elevator wall in front of Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All this weird stuff. This entire situation started with the storm,” Lena stopped briefly as the elevator doors opened. “That might have changed everything.” She rushed out of the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Changed, how?” The detective said, following her. “What do you mean you changed everything?” She got no response as Lena walked out to the parking lot. “Lena!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stopped and turned around. “Maybe I saved that girl. I have to know if she’s dead or if she’s alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I can get my daughter back,” Lena scoffed. The detective just stared at her intently, and Lena pressed the unlock button on her car key to find which car is hers. A car beeped from behind the detective and Lena ran over to it. She got in even as the detective kept calling out her name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena!” The detective yelled after her as Lena locked the car. “Lena! Enough!” The detective smacked the window as Lena turned the key in the ignition. “Lena, open the door, please.” It was no use Lena drove off leaving the blonde detective standing in the parking lot. She slowly stood up and followed Lena’s car as it left the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara was skateboarding back home after she picked up some groceries her mother asked her to get. As she strolled into her driveway, she saw Jeremiah lock his front gate and get in his car. She stopped and stared at him as he left. Once he was gone Kara looked at the window that belonged to his bedroom. There was no movement, no lights. Where was Ms. Thompson? Kara jumped the gate and walked over to the front door. She rang the doorbell and waited for an answer. Two minutes passed and there was no answer, so Kara walked back until she could get a good look at the window again. Kara shook her head and walked over to the side door, peeping inside. She saw a pair of black heels and in front of the opening that led to the dining room she saw what looked like a jacket. She backed away from the door, panting. God only knows what she might find. As she backed away, Bruno scared her by barking at her. She turned around and grabbed a rock. She used the rock to break the window, sticking her hand in and unlocking the door. She made her way to the dining room. It had an unfinished and forgotten dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-- -- -- --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeremiah drove to his slaughterhouse. Once he entered the front gate he got out of his car and locked it, making sure no one would interrupt what he was about to do. He walked over to the slaughter and dropped his bag on a table. He went to a locker and grabbed a large bone-saw, dropping it into his bag as he turned around and walked over to where the knives hung. He grabbed the sharpest knife he could find, examined it before dropping it into his bag. He turned back around and grabbed a pair of butcher gloves. Satisfied, he made his way over to the meat inspection area and grabbed an apron and some plastic. He shoved them into another bag before making his way back to his car where he threw them in his trunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-- -- -- --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” Kara called out in the foyer. “Hello?” She repeated as she walked up the stairs. Once she was at the top, she knocked on the bedroom door before opening it and finding no one there. She made her way down the walkway to the bathroom in front of the bedroom. She flicked on the light and found a bloodstained watch and earrings on the sink counter. In front of the bathtub, she found women’s clothes. In the tub she saw dried blood and some on the shower curtain. Kara flung open the curtains and saw Ms. Thompson’s dead body lying there in the tub. Kara closed her eyes and took a step back. She flung the curtains close and walked back to the bedroom, turning the lights off. She remembered Jerimiah had placed the envelope in the top drawer. She opened it and searched for the helping, taking it out and opening the passport. Inside the German passport she found Marks and with Ms. Thompson’s name on it, but with a photo of Eliza. She dropped the passport and Marks in a panic when she heard the garage door open. Realizing that Jeremiah was home, she started grabbing and fixing everything back in their place frantically. As she walked out of the bedroom and looked down the railing, she saw Jeremiah enter the house through the garage carrying two duffel bags. She quietly ran back inside the room and searched for a place to hide as Jerimiah walked up the stairs. She hid under the bed with the duvet, providing her enough of a cover. Jeremiah walked to the bathroom, turning the lights on, and placed one of the duffel bags. It didn’t help Kara’s panic when it looked like he was walking towards the bed. Thankfully, he stopped and placed the other bag in another room that was at the halfway point from the bedroom and the bathroom. Kara saw something out of the corner of her eye next to her. She turned her head to the side and found a gold watch, picking it up and examining it. On the back of the watch she found the initials EM engraved on it. They were certainly not Ms. Thompson’s initials. Kara looked back up to the bathroom when she heard classical music blasting from a radio.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeremiah had opened the duffel bag and started arranging the plastic on the floor, placing it so it would cover a couple of feet. He walked back to the middle room and put on a butcher’s apron, taking back the large bone saw with him to the bathroom. He plugged it in and set it down on the floor before swinging the shower curtains open. He took a moment to stare at his wife’s corpse before sitting down next to the tub. Running his hand over her eyes, shutting them close. He blessed himself by touching a hand to his forehead, lower chest, then his shoulder before kissing his hand putting on the butchers gloves. He got up and picked up the saw, turning it on as he adjusted himself in front of the corpse, slowly bringing it down and cutting into it. Kara was glad that there was so much noise that Jerimiah couldn’t hear her heavy breathing. She tried to look away, closing her eyes and lowering her head, but it failed. Her eyes were glued to the scene going on in the bathroom. She heard every sound and saw every limb being wrapped in plastic and shoved into the duffel bag. When they couldn’t fit anymore Jerimiah grabbed the other duffel bag and repeated the process until everything was done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>___________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena parked her car in front of her house, slamming the door shut as she ran over to her gate. She stopped when she noticed the swing set was gone. She had a vivid memory of teaching Ruby right there at that empty spot. She shook her head to, clearing her mind from the memories, and ran to the front door. As she was about to open it when she saw it was damaged, as if someone used a crowbar to break in. She opened the door and ran up the stairs to the room where she had talked to Kara in. She only found an organized home office. She walked over to the closet and opened it, hoping it would have the TV. She was only met with golf clubs and organized files. She turned around and searched the room. Lena rushed to the computer, turning it on and searching up Kara’s name. The only results that popped up were book reviews for ‘Apparitions’ written by Querl Dox, a professor at a University. She found no news articles about her death, she only found an article of the author saying the story was fiction and where he taught.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got you, you fucking bitch,” a voice behind her hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Relax.” Lena turned around and cautiously walked forward with her hands lightly out in front. The voice turned out to be a woman holding a golf club.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop right there!” The woman countered. “You broke in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said don’t move!” The woman held the golf club tighter in her hands. “What are you doing in my house?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my house,” Lena retorted, lowering her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” The woman shot back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my house,” Lena uttered, her tone was cold and angry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you say?” The woman took a menacing step forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it was a girl’s house, too. Kara Kent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what this is about,” The woman scoffed. “Listen, there’s no Kara Ke-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to know if she’s okay, wherever she is,” Lena interrupted her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was an old TV and camera in that closet.” Lena pointed at the closet with both of her hands. “There was a connection with the storm. Then everything changed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Babe!” A familiar woman’s voice shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honey, come here!” The woman shouted back, turning around quickly behind her then back at Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” The familiar voice was closer now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’m in my office!” The woman replied, slightly annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to the door?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They broke in, hurry!” The woman shouted angrily. Lena turned to her side and saw a picture she had seen before. She walked closer to it and saw Sam and Lana, the same photo Sam used to tease her before everything changed. Something must have happened if they are still together in this timeline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe it’s you again,” Sam said, gaining her attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know her?” Lana asked as she stood next Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It can’t be,” Lena whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She came into my office today,” Sam muttered, an open palm extended towards Lena’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lana touched Sam’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call the police, tell them she’s an intruder who’s harassing us,” Sam commanded, stepping in front of Lana.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, I need your help.” Lena took a step forward, her voice starting to break.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop! Don’t move!” Sam screamed at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, I called a while ago because someone broke in, Lana Lang.” Lena heard Lana loudly say into her phone as she continued to plead with Sam. “She’s back here again and we need someone here, fast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” Sam raised her hand up as Lena tried to walk towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, listen to me.” Lena felt tears starting to well up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are they coming?” Sam asked as she heard Lana’s footsteps coming towards them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, they are coming,” Lana replied as she picked up the golf club again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, please,” Lena sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop using my name like you know me,” Sam barked out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We do know each other,” Lena countered, angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This morning the police told me she was the one who removed the meningioma.” Sam gestured to Lena, then to the back of her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you a neurosurgeon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I left neurosurgery when Ruby was born,” Lena informed as she fixed her gaze on Sam. “You wanted to merge our companies together after you studied for your master’s degree. You wanted to show everyone that you were better than your father. You didn’t ask me to, but I supported you by taking care of Ruby. While you studied.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Ruby?” Lana asked after a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ruby is our daughter,” Lena replied as she kept staring at Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have a daughter?” Lana pivoted to Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Sam said, turning to face Lana and gesturing at Lena. “I swear she’s lying.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Lana charged towards Lena as the lights turned off. Lena used the dark of the night as an advantage to dodge the attack and stealthily make her way out of the room, using the moment of light provided by the thunder. She ran to the driveway and saw cop cars pulling in. She ran to the other side. Making her way through a clothesline and through a gate, walking when she heard police officers use their radios. Slowly walking behind a house and ducking when she got near the window. She made her way out and found herself in front of a dog house labeled ‘Bruno’. She knew she was in someone else’s backyard and was thankful a woven fence that allowed her to peek through the small holes covered her. She remained still and tried to slow her breathing down when she saw a man bring out a flashlight and point it at his driveway where the police were gathering in the street.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” She recognized that voice, that voice belonged to Eliza.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The entire street lost power,” The man replied, looking over his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are the police doing here?” Eliza asked as she stood by him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” The man answered as the power returned to the street. They turned around, and the man headed towards her. Lena quickly kneeled, the fence wall covering her. A doorbell stopped the man from walking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get it Jeremiah,” Eliza said before entering the side door, followed by Jeremiah. Eliza walked to the front door and opened it to the detective holding out her badge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good evening, Detective Zor-el,” The detective said as they looked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, is something wrong?” Eliza asked as Jeremiah placed a hand on her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, nothing. We’re looking for this woman,” The detective replied as she pulled out her phone and showed them a picture of Lena. “Have you seen her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Eliza and Jeremiah replied in unison, shaking their heads and looking back at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did she do something? Is she okay?” Eliza asked, a bit snarky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, she’s fine she’s just disoriented.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Eliza frowned, “But we haven’t seen her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for your help. May you have a goodnight.” Kara nodded her head and stared at Jeremiah as she turned around, walking out into the street to ask the other neighbors’ questions. Jeremiah and Eliza followed her out to the street and joined the others. Alex parked her car and walked over to her parents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened, Mom?” Alex placed a hand on Eliza’s shoulder, causing her to turn around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some crazy woman broke into Sam and Lana’s house.” Eliza glanced at the house. “They think she might still be hidden somewhere inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, we’re fine,” Jeremiah said as he stroked wife’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go check on them before I head to the airport,” Alex placed a hand on her mother’s arm, excusing herself as she walked towards Sam’s home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haven’t they cancelled the flights because of the storm?” Eliza said, stopping her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I’ve flown in worse, Mom,” Alex shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell J’onn to come tomorrow. It’s Jeremiah’s birthday.” Eliza motioned with her head towards Jeremiah, who smiled at Alex as she left. Once Alex was with Sam and Lana they returned inside their home. Eliza placed a hand on her chin then crossed her arms, then walked over to a table and leaned on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Jeremiah asked as looked over at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” She smiled at him. Jeremiah returned the gesture before pulling her in for a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara was relieved to see that Jerimiah was finally leaving the house. That abruptly ended as a phone started ringing in the bedroom. As Jerimiah stepped closer to the bed, she crawled backwards. He sat on the bed with a sigh before he picked up the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeremiah, it's me.” Kara couldn’t make out who was on the other line. “Jeremiah,” The voice said when Jeremiah didn’t answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you calling from?” He asked, angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The booth by your house.” The person on the other end breathed heavily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, calm down. Calm down.” Jeremiah scooted forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to me… You don’t understand… I realized… My watch… In your house.” The call started cutting out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? I can’t hear you well.” Jeremiah got up from the bed and walked over to the window and opened the curtains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Jeremiah shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have my watch,” The voice rushed out nervously. “I left my watch, I can’t find it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your watch?” He repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, my watch. I don’t have it. It must have fallen on the floor.” The voice continued speaking in a hurry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t take it?” Jeremiah asked as he let go of the curtains and turned around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I already told you. Look for it, it must be there,” They commanded. Kara looked at the watch in her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, calm down,” Jeremiah sighed and turned his attention back at the window. “If you left it here, it’s here. Okay? Listen, do what I told you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have the passport.” Jeremiah slowly nodded, and it dawned on Kara that he was talking to Eliza. “We’ll talk before you leave, Okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. I’ll be at the bar near the airport,” Eliza replied, calmer now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Jeremiah cooed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” Eliza said just as gentle. “A lot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeremiah slowly lowered the phone away from his ear as he closed the curtains and walked to the front of the bed and looked under it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliza ran back to her home, pulling the hood on her head, covering her face. As she opened the front door she woke up a sleeping Alex on the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom?” She yawned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex.” Eliza walked over and sat on the open couch next to her, taking Alex’s hand in hers. “Sweetheart, I have to take a trip to Nanda Parbat for a while, to the new office. J’onn will take care of you. But I’ll come to visit as often as I can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex was driving on her way to work. Everything was quiet except for the rumbling of thunder. She looked to check her rear-view mirror and screamed when she saw someone in the back seat. She slammed the brakes as she pulled aside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!,” She yelled as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut. “Who the fuck are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I know what this car means to you,” Lena pleaded from inside of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck. Get out!” Alex yelled exasperatedly at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You bought it from J’onn while you were working as a server while you were studying for the flight academy,” Lena rushed out as fast as she could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck are you? Why do you know that?” Alex slapped the window in front of Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your father was a military pilot. You hardly remember him because he died during a practice maneuver.” Lena stared into Alex’s eyes as she spoke. Alex took a step back in shock, then shook her head as she placed her hand on the door handle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are going to explain yourself and why you know that,” She commanded as she got inside and started her car. Lena nodded and explained everything that she had experienced as Alex drove to the airport. She continued to explain everything until she met Lana as they sat in the waiting area of the gate where Alex was supposed to fly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know when the connection between you and me broke, stopping me from meeting Sam and for her to stay with Lana,” Lena said as she played with the cup of coffee Alex bought her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So tell me, how exactly did you and I meet?” Alex looked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In 2001. One day after the New York attacks. We took the same train every morning. I almost always sat in the same place. Sometimes, like that morning, you sat in front of me. When we reached the Midvale station, the train halted, and I almost fell if you hadn’t grabbed me. Then you asked me if I was okay and helped me out the train as I had hurt my ankle. You stayed with me, we became friends and started hanging out. One night we went to the movies. You ran into Sam and introduced me, and from that first time, I knew she would be the one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What movie did we watch?” Alex asked in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We saw Cast Away.” Lena looked Alex in the eyes. “I know you can’t stand seeing movies with plane crashes. But you made an exception, for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s impossible.” Alex averted her eyes and shook her head in denial.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You liked me, you know,” Lena half teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I?” Alex returned her gaze on Lena. “You mean, I liked you and let you go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was love at first sight with Sam,” Lena said, sadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Alex scoffed and took a deep breath. “Well.. that was a great story. It’s a pity it didn’t happen, sorry.” Alex extended her hand to Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It did, though,” Lena refuted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pleasure to meet you.” Alex shook her hand slightly. Lena gave up and accepted her handshake. As her hand touched Alex’s bits of new memories flooded her head. Of her in the train glancing at Alex standing at the farside of the train the day they were supposed to meet, a blonde woman sat in front of her. Then a flash of someone stroking her cheek as she laid in bed and placing a kiss on her back. She shuddered as the memories dissipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were on the train, but you weren’t sitting in front of me this time,” Lena spoke, opening her eyes. Alex let go of her hand harshly as she continued. “For some reason you didn’t sit in front of me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really need to get some help,” Alex replied in a low voice with a sour face, Lena’s eyes widened in shock. “Goodbye.” Alex raised to her feet and grabbed her pilot cap and walked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, wait.” Lena got up after her. “Do you know Kara Kent? She was your neighbor, you studied together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does Kara have to do with this?” Alex looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It has to do with Martha Thompson.” Lena stopped walking as Alex continued to walk towards passport control.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeremiah’s ex?” Alex turned around and raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeremiah killed her,” Lena continued, slowly walking towards Alex. “And Kara saw it. They ran her over. But somehow I think I saved her and changed everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, I don’t understand what you are talking about,” Alex scowled, taking a menacing step forward. “Jeremiah has been with my mother for 20 years. Hell, over twenty years. He wouldn’t be able to hurt anybody, much less Martha Thompson. She left him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That's not true,” Lena interrupted her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it is. She went with someone else after the wall in Germany fell.” Alex raised her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's not the truth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is the truth,” Alex retorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is what he made you think,” Lena hissed. “That man killed his wife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare stand there and talk about my mother’s husband like that for god’s sake!” Alex’s voice raised higher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me what you know about Kara Kent,” Lena challenged, stepping closer into Alex’s personal space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough!” Alex shouted, looking around at the passengers who were waiting and turning her heels towards the passport control. “I have to go.” Alex walked up to J’onn, who was manning the passport control, and placed a cup of coffee on the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” He asked as he grabbed the cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll tell you later,” Alex groaned and walked through the metal detectors, leaving J’onn to stare puzzlingly at Lena. Distinctly in the background, an interviewer was introducing their guest, slowly capturing Lena’s attention away from J’onn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Today’s guest is Professor Dox, author of the novel Apparitions, published two decades ago. In the novel, he describes how two symmetrical electrical storms occurred on November 9th, 1989, and today. Welcome, Professor Dox.” The interviewer spoke. Lena turned around to look at the TV, displaying the interview with her full attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” The professor nodded his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How could you know this would happen? Can you see the future or does reality exceed the fiction?” The interviewer asked as Lena moved closer to the TV.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly. As a magician doesn’t reveal his secrets, a writer should not reveal their inspiration or the mystery behind them,” Dox replied formally, as if they programmed him. “But to answer your question. No, obviously I’m not able to predict the future. My book was based on a story I was told about a girl with schizophrenia, her hallucinations were so real that they inspired me to write the novel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So this girl gave you the idea of the woman who spoke through the television.” The interviewer tilted her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena,” A familiar voice behind Lena spoke, but she ignored it. She was too wrapped up in the interview.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly the girl. Her mother,” Dox replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The interviewer hummed her surprise. “There is a lot of coincidence in the story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena,” The voice called out again. She turned around and saw the detective holding out her jacket towards her. “You left this at the hospital.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you were at Sam Arias’ house. When I spoke with her, she said she knows who Alex Medina was. That she was a pilot, so I assumed you’d be here,” The detective replied as Lena took her jacket off the detective’s hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me to the nearest library,” She commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take me to the nearest library,” Lena repeated herself. “I have something urgent I need to find out. It might help me understand all of this.” She motioned with her free hand around her. The detective nodded and extended her hand towards the doors of the airport. Lena walked forward, following the detective to her car and getting in. They drove in a relative silence, Lena nervously tapping her foot on the floor and the detective remaining silent. Once they arrived at the library Lena hurried inside, asking the librarian where they held all of their science fiction books before making her way over. She searched the spines of the books, looking for Dox’s novel, picking up and looking through it. She found a dedication page and saw it was dedicated to Kara Kent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Querl Dox found this story through Kara Kent.” Lena pointed at the page and handed it over to the detective. “Because her mother told him about her. But the hallucination she was talking about...” Lena paused as the detective gave the book a quick look over. “It was me.” Lena continued when the detective looked up from the book at her, remaining silent. “Please, let me prove to you that I’m not crazy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective walked over and leaned on a railing, using her hands to prop herself up, deliberating the offer in her head. She sighed and looked over her shoulder at Lena, fidgeting with her glasses as she did. “Fine, where do we go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To the university where Querl Dox teaches,” Lena replied, relieved the detective was giving her a chance</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I would like to thank you all for the positive responses and for all of your kudos and comments.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Flight of a Butterfly Can Be Very Cruel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for late update I got wrapped up in studying for my exams. All mistakes are mine.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“In fact, the mathematically interesting Hilbert spaces are vector spaces of infinite dimensions,” Dox said in a robotic enthusiastic manner as he finished writing a mathematical equation on the chalkboard. “The type of Hilbert space necessary in each case depends on the system of...” The ringing of the bell interrupted Dox. “On nothing because this fascinating class is over. If you have any questions, you know where I am. For next week, read the theory of the cosmic web, by Richard Gott,” Dox continued as he dismissed his class, collecting his things. As everyone else got up from their seats, he noticed the detective and Lena, who weren’t getting up. Lena got out of the chair and walked over to him telling him she had questions about his book. He nodded and with a wave of his hand motioned for them to follow him, walking to his office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did Kara’s mother come to you with this story?” Lena asked as she sat down next to a table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allura Kent came to see me because her daughter was convinced her life was saved thanks to a woman from the future.” Dox grabbed a folder from his desk and walked over to Lena, placing it in front of her. Out of her peripheral view Lena could see that the detective, who was on the far left of the room with their back reclined on a desk, gripping the chair with vicious force. “What the woman wanted to know was whether it was possible the electrical storm could have caused a time-space warp. Something resembling a video call in symmetrical parallel time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to the girl?” Lena asked, flipping through the folder and finding pictures of Kara and her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, she never told me,” Dox answered as he straightened up in his chair. “I was only interested in the questions that I could use for my book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, of course,” Lena whispered, glancing at the increasingly angry looking detective then back at the folder as she flipped to a newspaper clipping. “You were only interested in your book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Dox said firmly, causing Lena to look at him. “I referred them to a specialist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you are saying that you had no direct contact with her back then,” The detective retorted, speaking for the first time since they had arrived. “That you would know where to find her now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not,” Dox countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And…” The detective looked at Lena, then back at the professor. “Your book is pure fabrication then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it is. Pure fantasy.” He smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s happening right now. The storm,” Lena disputed. “I’m here. I remember Kara Kent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t prove the woman from the future existed from the mind of Allura Kent’s daughter. Or that Kara Kent ever existed. Maybe she might have existed only in the mother’s mind. Like this book and I could’ve based it just on my imagination.” Dox slouched forward as he spoke, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I exist,” Lena challenged. “I exist… and I told you my story.” Lena looked over at the detective, who seemed to have calmed down a bit. She then flipped through the folder to the pictures of Kara and her mother. “These pictures exist, they’re proof that this is true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, nothing proves anything.” Dox shook his head, smiling as Lena touched the bridge of her nose. “We are the ones who make sense of it all. All we know is that the brain lives as a hostage to the experiences we feel. Its function is to interpret a hallucination as if it were real.” He turned around in his chair with his back facing Lena and waving a pen in the air. “What do you think would happen if reality were just an illusion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you say that under the same meteorological conditions it is possible to recreate the connection? If so, how can we recover it?” Lena leaned forward on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would you want to do that?” Dox raised an eyebrow at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Lena replied coldly. “To get my life and family back, that’s why,” Lena scoffed, noticing the detective went from calm to nervous as she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I don’t know. But if it’s possible,” He inhaled sharply. “We would have to reproduce the exact conditions. Exactly as they occurred at the time of the first change. In the same place, with the same electrical connection. The original television, the camera of course, during the storm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if, even with all of these elements in place, the storm ends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dox straightened slightly, taking time to think of every possibility. “I would say that the bridge would close forever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Lena got up and walked out the office walking until she made it to the common area of the university building and sat in a chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What now?” The detective asked, standing in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena leaned forward, propping her elbows on her thighs. “I need time to think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” The detective replied and walked away to the window of the building, close to Lena. As time passed, the detective kept glancing over at her, concern written all over their face. Finally deciding to sit next to Lena when she reclined back in the chair. The detective smiled at her and Lena couldn’t help, but smiled back. Something about the detective put her at ease. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but all she knew is that she felt warm and comfortable around her, even though they’ve never met until yesterday at the station.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I see your watch for a minute?” Lena pointed at the detective’s wrist. Without hesitation, the detective removed their watch and handed it to Lena. “The storm started 53 hours ago,” Lena said as she started setting a timer on the watch. “If it’s symmetrical to 1989, it will last 72 hours.” Lena showed the detective the watch, “This is the time I have left to find my daughter. Will you help me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” The detective shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need the old television and the camera. The Kent’s could have them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective took a deep breath in before answering, “Searching police archives can be very slow. I also need judicial authorization, and I won’t get it with this story you’ve told me. I need something more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like what.” Lena lowered the watch and fidgeted with it in her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something convincing,” The detective exhaled, a crinkle in nose, which Lena found cute. She did not know why, but she did. The echoing of Sam’s voice distracted her when she had looked up the murder of Martha Thompson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’ve got it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__ __ __ __</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stood there with her hands in the pockets of her jacket, her eyes following the blonde detective. The detective walked around talking to everyone, nodding her head and pointing somewhere inside the building. They had arrived at the slaughterhouse, an investigation team waiting for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let's get started!” The detective yelled, and everyone grabbed gloves and flashlights. Lena walked over to the detective when the blonde woman motioned for her. They walked through the bleeding area, canines followed by three cops, other cops helping to fix lights for the pathway. They checked every live cattle holding pen behind the bleeding area until one canine barked alerting them they had found something. Quickly they dug, but it didn’t take long when their shovels hit a suitcase. They swiped off the remaining dirt and opened the suitcase, revealing bones covered in plastic. They closed the suitcase and brought it out in front to a large tent where they took out the plastic, realizing that there were bones missing, and continued to search the remaining living cattle holding pens. The sun had gone down when they finished. Lena sat in a chair, pulling her jacket tighter around herself for warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coffee?” The detective held out a cup in front of Lena, smiling at her. Lena couldn’t help but smile back as she took the cup. “There’s something I don’t understand,” The detective said as she pulled out a chair and sat next to Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still don’t believe me, do you?” Lena scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” The detective took out her notepad from her coat and grabbed a pen from the table, drawing a straight line, stopping halfway and placing an x with the year 1989 above it. “This is 1989, and this is now,” The detective said as they continued drawing a line to the edge of the page. “If what you say is true and there is a metaphysical bridge connecting the future to the past,” The detective paused biting her lower lip as she drew a small straight line down then another line parallel to the first one towards the edge of the page. “And you could somehow alter it. Why are your memories still tied to a reality that no longer exists?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena closed her eyes and thought back to Ruby and how happy she looked as she played with the swing, sighing as she opened her eyes when the detective began speaking again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you curious to know what your life is like now?” The detective scribbled over the top line, then scratching her chin with her free hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But this is real. This body was real,” Lena bit out. It wasn’t the detective’s fault. She had read up on the theories of multiverse before, but she had no clue why or how someone could keep their memories.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is possible that you and I are here because of your other life.” Lena might be overthinking it, but she could’ve sworn that she heard a bit of sadness in the detective’s voice. “Another life that’s also very much real. This one. With people who I’m sure care about you,” The detective’s voice now had a bit of anger? Disappointment? Lena wasn’t sure what the detective was trying to implicate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I found the body for you.” Lena followed the detective's blue eyes as the blonde leaned back in the chair and lowered her head. “Now it’s only fair for you to help me,” Lena spat out, her voice resembling her mother’s bite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Detective?” A police officer spoke from behind Lena. “The judge wants to speak to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be right back,” The detective said as she rose to her feet and gave Lena’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. It triggered another wave of flashing memories. There was laughing, smiling, and Lena felt happy. Lena shook her head and turned around in her chair to see the detective talking with a stoic looking man and woman, the detective getting angry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>__ __ __ __</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The body changes everything. The judge’s priority is to identify it, to be sure it is who you say it is,” The detective spoke, sparing Lena a quick glance before returning her eyes back on the road. “Meanwhile, you are as much of a suspect as the owner of the land.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have kids, do you?” Lena huffed out, causing the detective to glance at her again. “Someone who doesn’t have children has all the time to do what they want. To become the best at what they do… but they also miss things,” Lena’s voice became shaky. She took a deep breath in before she continued, anger replacing the sadness and her voice raising in volume. “You said you wanted something real. Something that was real… and I gave it to you. What else do you want?” Her anger didn’t last as long as she had hoped, and the tears she was fighting had won.  She wiped the tears away as the detective pulled over, honking the car’s horn in short bursts, making the others also pull over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay here,” The detective huffed out and angrily moved the stick shift from drive to park. Lena watched as the detective walked over to the cop car a few feet in front of them and talked to a cop and the stoic man from earlier. During their conversation the detective looked over to Lena, the other’s following her gaze then back to the detective as she extended her hand towards them. They shook her hand, and the detective got back inside the car, not saying a word to Lena, and picked up the radio from the dash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All units, I’ve lost Lena Luthor.” The radio crackled as the detective let go of the button before pressing it again as she looked at Lena. “I repeat, I have lost Lena Luthor. Report directly to me if she is found.” The detective returned the radio back to its place and faced Lena. “My colleagues will back me up before the judge. When you leave, you’re on your own,” The detective paused and took a deep breath in, taking out her notebook and writing something before ripping the page and handing it over to Lena. “I’ve made some calls, checked the credit card. This is all I could offer you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena looked at the paper as she looked at what was written. ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Cascades Hotel Room 1016</span>
  </em>
  <span>’. Lena let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Did you find Kara Kent?” She exclaimed and the detective’s face fell and Lena suddenly felt guilty. She felt like she had hurt the detective in a way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think this will bring you to her.” The detective’s eyes fell to the paper in Lena’s hand for a moment with melancholy, then returned up to meet Lena’s green eyes. “Go before I change my mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stared at the detective for a second and noticed the detective’s eyes looked at her lips, briefly. Perhaps she was overthinking it or she must be hallucinating. Lena exhaled and got out of the car. She turned around and looked at the detective one last time. She couldn’t help but notice how the blonde’s face had fallen and Lena felt guilty. Something about the detective pulled on her heartstrings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective drove to Jeremiah’s house. As she neared the door, she heard clapping and cheers. That all ceased when she knocked on the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello there, how may I help you?” A woman asked as she opened the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Detective Zor-El, I’m looking for Mr. and Mrs. Danvers alongside J’onn J’onnz?” The detective held up her badge and pointed inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yes,” The woman replied as she turned around and began yelling. “Jeremiah! Eliza! J’onn! They’re looking for you!” She turned back to face the detective again. “They’ll be here soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Detective?” Jeremiah asked as he saw her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need you all down at the station.” The detective answered with a tight smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” Eliza tilted her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to cause a scene. So, please follow me.” The detective’s voice was low and cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t answer my wife’s question,” Jeremiah huffed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are all being summoned down at the station for questioning. So, I will repeat myself. Please follow me,” The detective forced her voice to be neutral and motioned her towards the cop car. They all walked out and were escorted inside of the cop car. Their neighbors outside watching them sit in the back of the car. Lana pulled out her phone and called Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, where are you?” Lana asked when Sam picked up the phone. “Something is going on. Something with that woman we encountered earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I’m watching it,” Sam replied as the news played on the TV.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>A body was discovered in the slaughterhouse owned by Jeremiah Danvers.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Alex flew to Star City, She’s staying the night there.” Sam continued as she half-payed attention to the TV.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The police are looking for the neurosurgeon Lena Luthor after informing the police of the body's location. She fled the scene.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, this is crazy.” Sam shook her head. “Yeah, I’m still at the office. I’ll be there in five minutes.” Sam hung up the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The identity of the victim has not been identified, but unofficial sources ensure that it could be the former wife of Jeremiah.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena had hitchhiked to the Cascades Hotel and asked the receptionist what floor 1016 was. After the receptionist answered her question, Lena ran to the elevator and impatiently tapped the 25th floor button. Lena paced around the elevator, impatient as to what the hell she might find.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam straddled and kissed the sleeping woman on her hotel bed, moving down from her lips, cheek, neck, and down to her collarbones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, who was it?” The woman asked, sleepily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was Lana, I have to go.” Sam smiled at the woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” The woman asked, now fully awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not her, the family of a friend. Something happened,” Sam informed, closing the space again and capturing the woman's lips in hers. “I really have to go,” She said when they parted</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena had finally found the hotel room, unable to wait any longer. She knocked on the door impatiently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our dinner,” The woman sighed and pouted. “Don’t escape,” She continued as she dabbed Sam’s lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena had no time to lose waiting, so she knocked on the door again, this time with much more force. She let thirty seconds pass before she banged on the door again. She groaned, how long did it take for someone to open the fucking door? She banged on the door again and a few seconds later someone opened the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dr. Lena?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jess?” Lena asked in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Jess asked, stiffening where she stood, her grip getting tighter on the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They uh… gave me this address,” Lena stammered and looked at the paper in her hands as she lifted it up. “And this room number. Can I come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jess shifted nervously to stand behind the door, “I-I’m not alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” Lena breathed out. “Look,” Lena continued as she showed Jess the paper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can I help you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here looking for someone named Kara Kent? Do you know her?” Lena asked, noticing Jess’s increasing nerves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Jess shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s not here?” Lena retorted, she was confident that Jess was hiding something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Jess shot back, “I already told you. I don’t know anybody by that name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then who’s in there with you?” Lena rebutted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s my business,” Jess argued, pushing the door as if to close it. “Look, Mrs. Luthor, I don’t know what’s going on. But we should call your brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena fucking had it with people treating her like she was crazy. She could give a rat's ass anymore. She had no patience left and no time to fucking lose. She pushed through, bumping Jess out of her way and running up the stairs up to the second floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Jess ran after her. “Dr. Luthor stop!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stopped at the coffee table in front of the couch. She recognized the clothes strewn about. She especially recognized Sam’s favorite cigarette box and now finally understood where Sam had gotten the matchbook. She may not be married with her in this reality, but that doesn’t justify her cheating on anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know who you are looking for, but I swear she’s not here.” Jess’ words only fueled her anger. She pushed Jess away when she tried to stop her from going towards the direction of the room, stomping her way over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam, I’m sorry I couldn’t stop her,” Jess told Sam, then ran towards the phone. “I’ll call the police.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not calling anyone!” Lena growled, shooting Jess a look before returning her gaze back to Sam. “Is that right, Sam?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam’s eyes widen slightly, taking a step back, ready to bolt out of there when given the chance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have you two been sleeping together?” Lena continued when Sam didn’t answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not together,” Jess spoke out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not fucking talking to you,” She barked out, eyes never parting away from Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since my operation,” Sam finally spoke. “It’s not what you think, I love her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you’re with Lana,” Lena angrily countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s totally different.” Sam’s voice was low and apologetic. “Tell me what you want and let’s get this over with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me your hand,” Lena commanded. When Sam didn’t answer, she stepped forward, menacingly. “Give it here.” Lena extended her hand towards her. Sam hesitantly grabbed Lena’s hand. Once Sam’s hand fully touched hers, Lena’s mind was flooded with a fresh memory of this reality. She was at the beach, someone’s hands wrapped around her and kissing the top of her head. She shook her head when the memory had finished. “I don’t understand. If I only know you from the operation, why don’t I remember it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does it matter?” Sam let go of her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I still remember an entire life with you. And I remember everyday I was taking care of Ruby. I know why I’m here,” Lena said, narrowing her eyes. “You are going to bring me to Kara Kent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll bring you to the police.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be an idiot,” Lena scowled. “You work in a bank. You have access to customer data.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is confidential,” Sam retaliated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s also confidential to have a mistress, I suppose.” Lena cocked her eyebrow and tilted her head, making Jess snicker in the back. “I told you to shut the fuck up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are they?” The Lieutenant asked as detective Zor-El made her way to the restroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the interrogation room, Ma’am,” The detective replied with a curt nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been waiting for this, don’t be late,” The Lieutenant replied and turned the corner. The detective entered the bathroom and leaned over the sink, taking deep breaths and staring at herself in the mirror. She turned the faucet handles and splashed water on her face, reaching next to her and grabbing a paper towel. Her phone started ringing in her back pocket as she dried her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” She answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lieutenant Dimas is waiting for you to begin,” The other voice on the line informed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be there in a minute.” She hung up the phone and made her way over to the interrogation room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimas spotted her, a folder in her hand, and opened the door “Good evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good evening,” Jeremiah, Eliza, and J’onn replied in unison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember me?” Dimas shifted her head to the side, making Jeremiah shake his head. “Because I certainly remember you,” She finished as she sat down. The detective waited for a moment before walking in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s start from the beginning,” She said as she sat down opening the file. “According to a police report from November 11th 1989. A young girl, your neighbor, Kara Kent. Accused you of killing your wife. Nobody believed her, it was your word against hers.” She placed a photo down in front of Jeremiah, “And you could prove your version. What once was formerly a fantasy of a child is now a reality. The events are from two days before the ninth. The day the Wall fell, and the world changed. According to your statement, that day your ex wife, Martha Thompson, said she was going to visit a friend in San Narciso. In the police report, you declared that your wife was preparing to return to Midvale after the Wall fell. But I think you lied. That she never wanted to go back to Germany. Instead, you gladly supported her when she wanted to spend the entire day visiting a friend. Because you knew it would create the exact occasion you were waiting for.” She paused and examined their reactions, noticing that Eliza was getting nervous. “Mr. Danvers, tell me what happened that night. Did you kill your wife?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeremiah stayed silent, fidgeting with his fingers. Eliza twiddling with her thumbs, J’onn remaining stoic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective laid out photos of the bones in the suitcase, “Did you kill your wife? Yes or no?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Answer her, right now,” Dimas commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to speak to my lawyer,” Jeremiah huffed out. “I have the right to remain silent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimas and the detective shared a look before the detective pulled out a photo of a golden watch, “This is the watch Kara Kent found in your house. Proof that you had an accomplice.” She looked over at Eliza.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara Kent highlighted a detail about the watch,” Dimas continued for her. “The details are important, Mr. Danvers. She noticed a small engraving ‘EM’.” Dimas faced Eliza and held out her hand, “Your watch please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eliza stayed silent as she took off her watch and handed her watch over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Dimas said as she handed the detective her watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are the initials of your current wife’s initials. Eliza Medina. The facts speak for themselves. Only she could pretend to act as Martha to make it seem like she disappeared,” The detective enlightened them before turning to J’onn. “And I suspected you helped.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are just assumptions, there’s no proof,” J’onn rushed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara Kent had the watch, implicating your then neighbor, Eliza Medina. And you knew it,” Dimas paused and took a quick deep breath. “So you got it back, raising no suspicions, all at the girl’s expense. She hid in your home while you dismembered the body and while you talked on the phone. Unfortunately for her, she had broken the window of your side door to get in, alerting your dog Bruno. Who barked until you noticed and followed him. When you saw the shattered glass you came up with the idea to report a robbery, immediately rushing off to a phone and only filing the golden watch as stolen. So when Kara came to me that night, I completely dismissed her story of how you dismembered the body and how J’onn brought you the passport and Marks. I didn’t believe her. I had told her that your wife had left you for an old boyfriend in Germany, her home country. Which is what you told me. Her mother was adamant of her daughter never lying, but with her dramatic telling of the story that included a woman on the TV saving her from her death, I believed she was lying. There was proof that your wife had used her bank account in Berlin. Her name appeared on the list of passengers. Naturally, this seemed to make more sense than that of a woman on the TV. Then, I made Kara give back the watch to you, Jeremiah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The girl and her mother moved away, and I never saw them again,” Jeremiah shrugged. “That girl wasn’t right in the head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that is one theory,” The detective growled. “Her mistake was mixing what she knew about you with a story about a woman from the future. That’s why no one believed her. It’s only a matter of time for the forensics team to prove that the body that was found is that of your ex wife’s. Then, Kara Kent, will have won this battle. Over twenty years later, but she would have won.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeremiah scoffed and shook his head in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The circle is closing, Mr. Danvers. So I’m going to tell you what happened to Kara Kent. She became obsessed that night trying to prove she was right and about what you did. All she could do is wait for the woman from the future to come back and give her some answers. She calculated the hours left in the storm, guessing that when it ended the gate would close. But that is what happened. Something in the future had stopped any new communication. She was left with only questions. While her mother only wanted answers. Tests proved that she wasn’t lying. So the reason for her obsession had to be a mental disorder. Her mother moved away, hoping that someday she would be cured. But it was only the beginning of a nightmare for Kara. First the psychologists, then psychiatrists, then an admission to a treatment center. Until she surrendered to their ideas, but not to herself. She denied the existence of Lena Luthor so they would leave her alone. But Kara Kent knew you were guilty. She never understood why the woman who helped her once didn’t come back to help her. So Kara Kent never forgot Lena Luthor. At the time, she didn’t know her name, but she had a clue. So she followed it to a train station, and she waited for years. Her future and past came together in that moment, and it scared her. Everything that had made her crazy to others was becoming a reality in front of her eyes. But she didn’t know how to approach her. What could she say? How could she believe her when she hadn’t experienced it yet? Kara stopped looking for answers and wished that Lena would never look for them, either. But the flight of a butterfly can be very cruel, if it occurs in a place and a time that allows for change. My name is Kara Kent Zor-El, Mr. Danvers. We live in a system that is chaotic, and drastically alterable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena looked at the time she had left on the watch, then stared at the lighting rumbling in the sky as Sam typed something on her computer in her office. Sam scoffed and shook her head as Lena walked over towards her, scrolling through the file.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara Kent. She was our customer, so was her mother,” Sam spoke looking over at Lena. “And you are saying she lived in my house,” Sam paused and sighed before turning her attention back to the computer. “Let’s track her movements, find her address…” Sam clicked a few more times before she found the personal file. “Here, this must be her,” Sam said as she clicked the profile’s picture. “Kara Kent Zor-El.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For fuck’s sake,” Lena scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Sam narrowed her eyes at her, eyes darting from the computer screen then to Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the fucking detective. Take me to her address,” Lena commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Sam groaned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unless you want everyone to know about your little affair, then I suggest you take me there,” Lena replied coldly. Sam shook her head, turning off the computer after she typed the address in her phone and walked out of the office. They made it to her car, and they drove in silence to Kara’s place. Sam parked the car and let out a breath, “The top floor. That’s the address that they’ve been sending her mail to for the last five years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena didn’t reply. She went to open the door when Sam stopped her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” She began. “Are we even?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena scoffed and got out of the car and rushed inside of the building. She ran up the spiral staircase, being thankful that she wore regular shoes and no heels. As she got to the top floor, she found the door slightly ajar. She slowly stepped closer and opened the door all the way, seeing the electric guitar that Kara had used when she recorded the tapes in the hallway. Lena turned around and saw Kara’s mom standing in the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been waiting for you,” Allura said once she noticed Lena’s presence. “Kara asked me to come in case this happened. To help you remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember what?” Lena asked, confusion spreading across her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s best if you discover that for yourself.” Allura pointed at the shelf next to her, and Lena followed it with her gaze. Lena gasped as she saw photos of herself with Kara, one on the side of the road, another one of their foreheads touching and a third one of a young Kara and her mother, the same one she saw in Professor Dox’s folder. Her jaw dropped as she continued to examine the shelf and found her biological mother’s music box. With trembling hands, she opened the box, and the music started playing. She slowly turned around to face Allura, who stood there calmly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. I Remember Nothing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide<br/>Sorry it took me forever to upload the next chapter. All mistakes are mine</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kara hurriedly opened the door to her apartment. As she slowly walked in she examined her hallway. Everything was oddly quiet. She pocketed her keys as she trudged into the living room, seeing her mother leaning on the balcony smoking a cigarette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is she?” Kara asked once her mother turned around. Alura stayed quiet as she pointed to her right. Kara let out a deep breath, closing her eyes and taking her mother’s hands into her own, “Go home, Mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck,” Alura whispered, giving her a small sad smile. She walked along the narrow walkway that led to the patio where she found Lena staring out into the city.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Kara softly spoke out, hoping Lena could hear her over the loud thunder, trudging over to her. “I didn’t know how to tell you. Ever since you came into the station and you didn't recognize me, talking about the life you had when I was a girl,” Kara somberly chuckled and shook her head, putting her hands in her jeans’ front pockets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t the life you had with me. It wasn’t possible that you lived it because I changed it. By finding you. Yet you had the other memories,” Kara continued as Lena turned around to face her. “And you had erased me. I let your brother interpret what was happening in his way and I-I…. and I waited. Hoping you would remember.” Kara tried to keep her voice steady, but her emotions wouldn’t let her, her voice broke more as Lena stepped closer to her, “Remember us, Lena. I just wanted to understand my experiences as a girl and… why you hadn’t come back. I couldn’t know that when you were to meet Alex, you’d instead met me, and everything would change. I’ve avoided you finding me, because I didn’t want things to change again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena lowered her head. Something she had said made Lena realize something. Kara couldn’t help but wonder if it was fresh memories finally clicking into place or Lena had realized something completely different as her expression changed when she looked up, but it didn’t matter. Kara was set on making her point, “Because I love you a-and I don’t want to lose you. All these years I have feared this moment for years. I feared the day you would find our connection in our past and in our present. I imagined it all. All the possibilities. But not that you would forget me overnight. That you would want to go back to a life that in this reality you haven’t lived. Because I changed it.” A louder rumbling of thunder interrupted Kara causing the both of them to look up, “Then the storm arrived and it was time.” Kara looked backed down at Lena, a single tear falling down her cheek. All Kara wanted to do was place her hand on her cheek and gently wipe it away, but Lena was different and she didn’t want to risk anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need the camera and the television,” Lena finally spoke, distractedly. “I don’t remember any of this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and avoided Lena’s gaze, “I threw it away a while ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Lena sighed, stepping closer into Kara’s personal space. “Someone broke into Sam’s house. It was you. You wanted to test the connection. You wanted to know. I would have wanted to know too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I tried it. But I realized it was a mistake and disconnected everything. I couldn’t risk a new connection altering my past, changing everything I did to meet you Lena.” Kara finally met Lena’s gaze, “But I let you find me. To see who the real Sam Arias is and then find me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go back to 1989 and grow up witho-” Lena choked up on her words. “Without an obsession with me,” Lena said icily and continued even as Kara seemed hurt. “Forget me so that you never find me. And you also have to forget Jeremiah Danvers, too! Because if they find him in the past that would affect Eliza, which would affect Alex, and I need to meet her. Like I would have if you hadn’t stopped it because that is the only way to meet Sam and to get my daughter back.” Lena's voice broke and tears fell down her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A-And if it doesn’t work?” Kara leaned forward slightly, “We can't control everything that might happen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take the risk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Kara sighed. She felt a tear fall down her face as Lena nodded. She closed her eyes and shook her head, taking in a deep breath to gather some courage. “Stay and let me be your memory,” She said, taking one step closer. “Please. Please, Lena,” She pleaded in a whisper and gently placed a hand on her cheek. “Stay with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena gasped as a new memory flooded her brain. She was under the covers with Kara laying on her chest. The memory was cut short as Kara captured her lips with her own and caused another memory to flood Lena’s brain. It was the same beach memory she had when she touched Sam’s hand, but this time it was different. She was held close by the blonde, a hand gently lifting her face up and sharing a smile before the blonde kissed her. The next flash of memory had Lena painting a room and being interrupted by the blonde as she lowered the rolling brush down and kissed her, which led to them taking longer than it should to paint the room. Soon after that Lena had re-lived another memory, Kara kissed her back as she laid on the bed. More memories rushed her brain as Kara kept kissing her, deepening the kiss with a hand on Lena’s neck, bringing them closer and Lena’s hand tangled up in the blonde’s hair. Lena gasped into their kiss when a memory of their wedding flashed in her mind, slowly pulling away from Kara as the last flash of memory fit into the gigantic puzzle that was this reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Kara whispered, their foreheads touching as she held Lena’s chin with her hand as Lena let out shaky breaths. “You remember me, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena held Kara’s hand when the blonde moved to touch her cheek, holding it tight. Kara moved Lena’s hand to her own cheek, “This is real. This is real.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to go back to 1989 and change things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. No,” Kara mumbled as she held Lena’s face in her hands. “I can’t,” She uttered as she pulled away slowly. “No, I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena took off Kara’s bracelet and placed it in the blonde’s hands and walked backwards to the patio ledge. She climbed on the ledge as Kara frantically put her watch on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Kara asked when she saw Lena standing on the ledge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saved you,” Lena replied with a shaky breath. “Now it’s your turn,” She continued as she raised her arms. “Something tells me… We’ll meet again.” Lena smiled at Kara before she let herself fall off the ledge. Kara rushed over, watching Lena fall, bending over and trying to reach out for her. She stood there, looking down in horror as Lena’s body fell on top of a car. Kara shook her head as she ever so slowly walked away from the ledge, her words catching in her throat and turning into quiet gasps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” She cried out, turning around and rushing out of her apartment. She wiped her face with the sleeve of her jacket as she ran down the stairs. Once she got to the main lobby, she ran behind the security man’s desk, where they held compact storage units. Jogging through the dimly lit hallway until she reached the red door that was her own. Kara’s fingers rapidly typed in her code and threw the door open. Kara was panting as she quickly glanced at her watch. She had an hour and twenty-two minutes before the portal closed. She grabbed and threw a small bag that stood in front of her old TV and camera. Once she had them in her hands, she slammed the door shut with her foot and sprinted to her car, opening the trunk with her elbow and placing the TV and camera inside. Kara fumbled with her keys as she tried to open the car door, considering breaking her own window. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she saw Lena’s body, giving her even more reason to hurry and fix her mistake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-- -- -- --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara arrived at Sam’s house and saw that all the lights were off and hoped no one would come home with what she was about to do next. She reached into her back seat and grabbed the crowbar she had tossed there the previous day. She got out of her car and placed the crowbar in her back pocket as she grabbed the TV and camera out of her trunk, jogging to the front. She didn’t care that she hadn’t properly closed her trunk, she was on a mission. She placed the TV and camera on the floor as she used the crowbar to crack open the door, pushing it open and immediately picking up the TV and camera as she raced to the room where it all happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She vividly remembered what had happened today in the past as she set up the TV. It was the day after the woman on the TV had tried to make contact, but only now did she realize it wasn’t Lena who attempted to make the second contact, but her own self when she broke into Sam’s house the first time. She remembers staring at the TV, desperately waiting for Lena to make contact again, but to her disappointment she didn’t and Kara buried her hands in her face. That day she never moved from her place, still holding on to the bit of faith that told her that Lena would make contact again and today was going to completely change that memory and all of the others after it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara turned on the TV, then the camera and waited until she saw her younger self on the TV screen. It crackled and flashed for a moment before finally she could see her own self.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” Her younger self spoke out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Kara,” Kara replied as she leaned back slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Young Kara tilted her head in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to me,” Kara paused and let out a quick breath. “I’m you and you are me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her younger self scoffed, “Where’s the lady from the future?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help me… Please” Kara began with a shaky breath. “What I’m going to tell you is very… is very important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is the lady from the future,” Young Kara repeated herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is to save her!” Kara didn’t mean to yell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened to her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have little time,” Kara growled. “Tell no one about her. Believe me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But she saved me!” Young Kara growled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you must save her!” Kara lunged forward and held onto the sides of the TV. “Never speak of her and you should never look for her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want answers.” Her younger self rushed forward and grabbed onto the sides of the TV as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t, she will die and you will have to deal with an unfathomable amount of pain.” Kara felt the tears welling up in her eyes, quickly wiping them away as she checked her watch. She only had ten seconds left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can I trust you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I know that right now our mother is standing at the door and she has been listening to our conversation,” Kara rushed out. “So, please stay quiet about Lena.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-... nam-” The portal started cutting out, and Kara smacked the side of the TV hoping it would give her more time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never talk about her!” She yelled out one more time as she watched the TV go back to gray.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena woke up with a gasp, a blanket clutched in her hands. She skimmed the room before she gradually turned around, scared of looking at the warm presence she felt at her side. She scooted slightly away when she saw Sam’s face. She shot out of the bed and walked over to Ruby’s room. She opened the door gently and let out a breath when she found her daughter sleeping on the bed. Lena ambled her way to the side of her daughter's bed and kneeled, hesitating for a moment before she gently placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. Before she even laid it down, she ran to the window and opened the curtains and saw that Alex still lived in front of them. Lena saw as Alex dragged her luggage to her green Ford Pinto before turning around and waving at her. Lena nodded her head in response, too shocked to wave back. Her eyes fell to the swing set and Lena’s jaw trembled as she suppressed her sobs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mom?” Ruby asked as she stood up in her bed. Lena quickly turned around and kneeled at the side of her bed, cupping her daughter’s cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” Ruby was confused at her mother’s odd behavior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Lena replied in a broken whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are crying. Are you sad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Lena choked out as she wiped her face. “I’m thrilled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby smiled at her mother when she kissed the top of her head. “Hey…” Lena whispered as she pulled away. “This isn’t a dream, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay, mom?” Ruby tilted her head in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena let out another shaky breath, “I don’t want you to move from here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Ruby replied in a yawn as Lena stood up, covering her daughter with the blanket before turning off the lights and leaving the room. Lena walked back to the room that had the TV and camera set, throwing open the closet doors. She looked around to see if the TV and camera were still there, but there was no trace of them. Lena gasped as she turned around, almost bumping into Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena embraced Sam in a hug and smiled as she rubbed her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam returned the embrace, “What’s wrong, are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a nightmare,” Lena happily declared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not another one,” Sam mumbled under her breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena pulled away fast, still holding on to Sam. “What do you mean, another one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam looked at her cautiously, “Lena, you’ve been acting strange for a few days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where.” Lena looked at the floor for a moment before looking back up at Sam, “Where is the camera and the television that was here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honey, there has never been a camera or television in here or anywhere in the house,” Sam paused and examined Lena’s face. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena let go of Sam and walked out of the room even as she called out for her. She grabbed a coat and walked out to the side of the house where, if she was correct, she threw out the matchbook out of their bedroom window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” Sam asked as she followed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena looked up at the window, then to the pile of leaves next to her, determining where the matchbook might have landed before bending down and searching for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, come on enough!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena desperately searched through the pile of leaves. Her eyes caught sight of a white object. She picked it up and cleaned it off before turning it around and confirming it was the same matchbook that Sam had thrown out. Lena stood up and looked at Sam pointedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you get the matches?” Lena tapped the matchbook in her hand as she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here we go again,” Sam exhaled, shuffling in her place a bit. “Honey, I told you. I got them from the hotel in Gotham, don’t you remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena turned around at the sound of a woman and man laughing, walking to her front yard. Jeremiah and Eliza walked by and waved towards Lena, who awkwardly waved back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It really happened,” Lena mumbled. “Jeremiah is free,” Lena paused and smiled. “She kept her promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena,” Sam spoke softly as she stepped forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you are cheating on me,” She said nonchalantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Sam scoffed. “I wouldn’t do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have been cheating on me with Jess,” Lena declared as she turned around. “I believe you have been cheating on me since you got your surgery.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, that is absurd.” Sam shook her head, “Are you sure you are okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This matchbook is more than enough to prove it.” Lena raised the matchbook for Sam to see, “That and coupled with the fact that I told no one that we moved to our new house.” Lena walked past Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, I can explain!” Sam cried out rushing to catch up to Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can explain later when we talk about our divorce,” Lena stated coldly as she returned the jacket back to its place and put on a black thicker one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, please,” Sam begged. Lena scoffed and closed their bedroom door in Sam’s face, quickly changing out of her pajama pants and putting on shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena.” Sam tried wiggling the doorknob. “Lena.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena opened the door and brushed past Sam. She grabbed her car keys, completely ignoring Sam calling after her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-- -- -- --</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena had stopped by a hardware store to buy a shovel on her way to Jeremiah’s slaughter house. She parked her car just outside of the locked main entrance gates. She took out an oil lamp and a shovel from the back of the car and used it to break the lock open. She followed the path she remembered the police canines took straight to the holding pen that contained the body of Martha Thompson. Once she arrived, she hung her jacket on the metal pipe that ran parallel to the ceiling and began digging, not stopping until she hit something with her shovel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She got on her knees and began dusting off the remaining dirt from the top of the suitcase. Lena opened the suitcase and immediately regretted it as a foul stench hit her. Lena gagged and pulled out her phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“9-1-1 what is your emergency?” The operator on the phone spoke out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would like to report a body,” Lena answered. It took all of her energy not to gag as she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could you give me your location?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena walked out of the holding pen, hoping the stench couldn’t reach there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma’am are you still on the line?” The operator asked when they were met with silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, sorry,” Lena muttered. “I had to walk away, it smelled so bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I also have your name?” The operator continued to sound neutral and professional.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t exactly know the address but it’s a slaughterhouse that is owned by Jeremiah Danvers.” Lena paused. Should she really give them her name? Did Kara tell her younger self the woman of the future’s name? It seemed like a constant that Kara became a detective in any reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma’am?” The operator’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. “I still need your name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just make sure they get here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stood under the police tent as they came out of the slaughterhouse with canines and a pair of two people dressed in white hazmat suits entered the building. Lena assumed they were the forensics team. She waited patiently, hoping that Kara had still gone off to become a detective in this reality. She wrapped her jacket around herself as she stood there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like a coffee?” A man’s voice broke her out of her thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena turned around and eyed the man. It was the same man that had interrupted her and Kara’s conversation from the other reality, “Yes, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded his head and took out two cups. He poured one for her and one for himself. As he handed Lena her cup, a voice broke out from his radio on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The detective is here.” Lena smiled, but she felt anxious. Will Kara have to go through gaining her memories by touch the same way Lena had? Or would this Kara be like a blank slate and she bared any connection to herself from the other reality?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Copy,” The man spoke into his radio and placed his cup on the table. “If you excuse me, Miss,” He said as he walked by Lena.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena took a sip of her coffee, not turning around when she heard a car door slam shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kar.” She heard the man distantly greet someone, and Lena doubted it was Kara based on the name he spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A woman found a body. She has said nothing, the only thing she has told us is that the body belongs to the ex-wife of the slaughterhouse owner. The problem is that according to our records, she lives in Berlin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is it?” Lena recognized Kara’s voice and smiled into her cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her.” She heard the man say before a pair of footsteps slowly approached her. Lena tried not to turn around when she heard them stop a few feet behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to know how you found the body and why you are so convinced that it is Martha Thompson,” Kara said after a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena smiled as she turned around and walked closer to Kara, stopping when she stood directly in front of her. “I knew it would be you, Kara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara pushed her glasses up, “Do I know you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena softly chuckled, “Yes. You just don’t remember yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena could see Kara fighting to suppress a smile. For a moment Lena thought Kara had remembered that she was the woman from the future and smiled at her. Kara held onto the leg of her glasses as she sighed and shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I still need to know why you are so convinced that the body is Martha Thompson.” And just like that, Lena understood why Kara had been so diligent in not revealing any information to her when she met her in the other reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Lena whispered. “Your-,” Lena cleared her throat. “Only his new wife could pretend to be his ex wife and disappear. She wears a golden watch that has the inscription ‘EM’ that he reported as stolen and was returned back to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know about that?” Kara stared at her puzzlingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena ignored her and continued on, “Plus, no one would ever try to find the body in a slaughterhouse that you own, especially if you close the section where you hid the body.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara grabbed Lena’s arm, “I asked you a question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stared at Kara for a while, hoping that the contact would trigger a memory. Sadly, she saw nothing change in her demeanor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had dinner at their house recently when their daughter invited me over,” Lena replied sadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you talking about Alex Medina?” Kara let go of her arm and took out her notepad along with her pen and began writing things down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you meet her?” Kara looked up from writing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The day after the towers fell. I was standing up when the train suddenly jerked and Alex caught me and helped me outside when I realized I twisted my ankle.” Lena took a sip of her coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you describe your relationship to Alex?” Kara waited for Lena to stop sipping on her coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you jealous?” Lena cocked an eyebrow and smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I.” Kara played with the leg of her glasses as she stuttered. “No… This has to do with your credibility.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can ask her. She still misses you, you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Kara narrowed her eyes at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She said she had a best friend that was practically a sister to her that was named Kara Kent,” Lena shrugged as if that wasn’t a bomb that she had dropped on Kara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Back to the case at hand. How did you know where the body was buried?” Kara seemed determined to not stray away from the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex invited me over to eat at her house recently, and he had one-to-many drinks. In his drunken state, he let it slip that he closed a section of holding pens right after his ex wife had left him.” Lena waited for Kara to stop writing before she continued. “I began looking into any police investigations that happened around that time after Eliza told him to keep his mouth shut and ended the dinner early. It took a while, but that led me to the report of the stolen watch that went alongside a statement of a girl who said that she saw their neighbor dismember their wife’s body.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, what is your name?” Kara never stopped looking as she continued writing in her notepad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena Luthor.” Lena hadn’t even gotten to her last name when Kara’s face shot up to look at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena?” Kara repeated, eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Lena nodded, even though she didn’t really understand why that caused Kara to look at her as if it disoriented her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, that will be all,” Kara rushed out before she practically ran over to a pair of stoic looking people who Lena recognized as the judge and one of Kara’s colleges.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, wait!” Lena called out after her, but it was no use Kara ignored her. The judge took out her radio and spoke something into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man who had offered her a cup of coffee walked up behind her a moment later and tapped her shoulder. “Miss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Lena turned around to face the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can go home now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before I go, do you have a pen and paper?” Lena watched as the man, though confused, ripped a page of his own notepad and handed her his pen. Lena quickly wrote on the paper and folded it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please make sure the detective gets this.” Lena was about to hand the folded paper to the man, but abruptly stopped, putting on her best stone cold Luthor face. “Make sure she is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> one that sees this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena walked to her car and hoped that her hail mary would work, but mostly hoping it didn't push Kara away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara mulled over why this strange woman felt familiar, as if she had seen her before. But more importantly, how did the raven haired woman know her name and know that she used to have a best friend named Alex? What had caught her most off guard was her name, Lena. That name echoed in the back of her mind. Even as she continued to talk with her colleagues after she heard the enigma of a woman get in her car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” A voice interrupted Kara’s conversation, though she would have to admit she wasn’t really paying attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm,” Kara hummed her reply. “What happened Winn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to borrow you for a moment.” Winn motioned with his thumb to the side. Kara nodded and followed him to a place out of earshot of everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so important you had to bring me all the way over here?” Kara asked when Winn turned to face her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The lady that called this in told me to give this to you.” He pulled something out of his jacket. “She was very…. </span>
  <em>
    <span>demanding</span>
  </em>
  <span> about the fact that only you should see this. Well, not really, but she looked very mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara eyed the piece of paper in his hand before grabbing it, “Did she say anything else after that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, she just handed me this and left in her car.” He shrugged and watched as Kara flipped over the folded paper, thoroughly examining it. “Kara?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Winn.” Kara was too busy with the piece of paper in her hands that she didn’t know Winn was staring at her worryingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“D-Do you know her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara’s face shot up and scoffed, “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Winn raised an eyebrow at her, his curiosity visible on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, why?” Kara narrowed her eyes at Winn. What was he trying to get at?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Well…” Winn paused and took a deep breath, mustering as much courage as he could. “It looked like you were friends or more than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara laughed and shook her head. “Winn, I just met her. What even gives you that impression?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard her saying your middle name. It took me months to know about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara sighed and rubbed her temple, “I didn’t tell her my name when I got here. I immediately went straight to asking questions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winn opened his mouth to speak, but instead he inhaled sharply and crossed his arms, a hand on his chin. “Then how does she know your middle name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Winn. I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara opened the front door of her apartment and threw her keys on the table. She walked to her fridge and grabbed a beer before she slumped down on her couch. She had stayed at the crime scene until the forensics team had finished grabbing all the data they needed. She mostly spent the time talking to the judge and the head of the forensics team, making sure they had all the information. As she popped open the cap of her beer, the words of the green-eyed woman echoed in her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You just don’t remember me yet</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you mean?” Kara mumbled to herself before immediately pulling out the folded piece of paper Winn had given her earlier, she had completely forgotten about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'For when you want to remember (202) 555-0138'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara stared at the phone number for a while. Sure, she had many questions to ask the woman and she wanted to know what she meant, but could she trust her? She couldn’t get her name out of her head and her green eyes, those green eyes she was sure she had seen before. Kara took a sip of her beer as she repeated the name in her head, hoping that would trigger a memory or something. After a while, she called her mother, forgetting that it was three in the morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara? Is something wrong?” Her mother’s voice was raspy, crap Kara had just woken her mother up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, nothing’s wrong.” Kara didn’t really understand why she felt like her mother knew something about why Lena’s name sounded familiar. “Does the name Lena ring a bell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you promise yourself to forget about her?” Kara could tell her mother was now alert and fully awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?” Kara didn’t understand what her mother was talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why are you talking about her again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Talking about her again?” Kara stood up from her couch and placed her beer on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you were younger, you had nightmares of getting run over by a car after you saw Jeremiah’s wife dead on the floor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Jeremiah’s wife wasn’t named Lena,” Kara informed her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but one day I came to check up on you and you were talking to the TV. At first you kept asking about the woman from the future, then the person on the TV told you to forget about her and called her Lena. After that, I guess the signal started cutting out as you asked if that was her name. This was all after you broke into Jeremiah’s house and had gone to the police. Soon after that you stopped talking about the woman from the TV and whatever happened that day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena is the woman from the future?” Kara remembered nothing about the woman of the future or how she came about finding out her name.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Kara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara stayed silent for a moment as it sunk in what her mother told her. “Mom?” Kara couldn’t hang up the phone until she asked one last question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sweetie.” She heard her mother stifle a yawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara’s voice was soft as she asked, “Why wouldn’t I talk about her again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You promised yourself that you would never talk about her at all, no matter the cost, because if you did she would die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara didn’t reply, she stood there frozen in her kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara, are you still there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara couldn't bring herself to reply. Her mother’s words triggered a memory. It was of her hanging out at Alex’s house. She couldn’t place what had happened before, but she could only remember feeling scared and shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara!” Her mother yelled from the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara shook her head and placed the phone on her ear, “I’m still here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geez! You had me worried,” Alura sighed, Kara could practically see her mother shaking her head with a hand on her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sorry about that,” Kara whispered. “Well, goodnight mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Kara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena twirled a pen through her fingers, an unconscious habit she did. She ran through the possibilities of how Kara could remember or gain her memories. Could she even remember them? Or would Lena have to get to know this version of Kara? It didn’t matter Lena loved… No, she liked Kara. She couldn’t possibly love this version of Kara, not until she knew the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mrs. Luthor?” Her lawyer asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. “How do you wish to proceed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How it’s stated in the prenuptial,” Lena replied after a moment, setting the pen down on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wish to separate your companies and let your wif-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soon to be ex-wife,” Lena corrected coldly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me,” The man cleared his throat. “Your ex-wife to keep all of her earnings and you yours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The only addition I would add is that we get co-parenting. There’s no need for child support, I have more than enough means to put Ruby through college and give her a more than comfortable life.” Lena looked as the man wrote her addition into the divorce papers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man looked up mid-write, “And what happens if Mrs. Arias doesn’t let you have custody?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena sighed, she wouldn’t want to put Ruby through any unnecessary pain if she could avoid it, “Like I said, co-parenting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but Mrs-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If she doesn’t agree, I suppose we’d have to go to court to see who would get sole custody,” Lena shrugged, looking down and flicking off a piece of lint on her pencil skirt. “I doubt she would want to put Ruby through the same pain she endured when her parents got divorced.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man picked up the papers and tapped them on the table, uniformly stacking them. “Then I’ll make sure that her lawyers get this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Lena stood to her feet and gave her lawyer a curt nod before leaving his office. She began looking for any available openings to finish up her residency in neurology. She only needed about two more years under her belt. With her current education, she could only ever assist her brother when he asked for her help. Her phone began ringing, Lex was calling her, it seemed like she had summoned him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, Brother,” She greeted him as her driver opened the door of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s my favorite sister doing?” He beamed from the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lex, I’m your only sister,” Lena chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and my favorite one,” He countered. “All jokes aside, how are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m peachy,” Lena replied, her tone an octave higher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena, stop lying to your big brother.” Lena could see Lex shaking his head even though he wasn’t there with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lena brought a hand to her chest mockingly, “It’s just another day in the life of a Luthor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s not, Lena. It’s not a normal day when a Luthor loses a person they love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena clicked her tongue, “Well, funny you should say that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena!” He chastised over the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Lena laughed, “If I didn’t make the joke you sure as hell would have made it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lex’s chuckled reverberated through the phone, “Yes, but mother didn’t exactly love our father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena chuckled, “Oh that’s right, I forgot about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you planning to do after they finish the paperwork?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was about to reply, but out of the corner of her eye, Lena spotted a familiar looking blonde standing at the crosswalk. Without hesitation, Lena rolled down the window before the car moved. “Kara?” She called after the blonde.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena?” Kara replied, a hand lightly hovering over the walk button her other hand held a cup carrier tray with three coffees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena stared at the blonde, shocked that they would cross paths after the blonde didn’t call her. As she opened her mouth to speak the light turned green and the car drove away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lena?!” Lena had forgotten that she had been talking to her brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still here,” Lena rushed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s Kara?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lena let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Trust me, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try me,” He persisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, not again.” Lena shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What does that mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara didn’t know how she got to the station after she ran into Lena. The next thing Kara knew is that she was sitting down at her desk. She hadn’t noticed when Winn approached her. She also didn’t hear when he asked her a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Earth to Kara?” Winn waved a hand in front of her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Geez Winn!” Kara jolted in her chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you go to another planet or?” Winn leaned on the corner of her desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not an alien, at least I don’t think I am?” Kara scooted closer to her desk and picked up one of the coffee’s from the tray, “Here you go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you are staying today?” Winn hesitantly took the cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” Kara narrowed her eyes in confusion, “Why is that hard to believe? I take my work seriously.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well…” Winn paused. “How do I tell you this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me what?” Kara spun her chair to face him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winn waved his free hand about while he nervously took a sip, “God, I can’t believe you remembered my favorite drink.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Winn.” Kara grabbed his hand, stopping him from taking another drink. “What were you going to tell me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Winn placed the coffee down and looked at her with concern, “It’s just that this case is well… Doesn’t it bring back memories? Like nightmare-ish ones?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara slumped back in her chair, “No, why would it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really don’t remember, do you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t remember Jeremiah dismembering his wife, if that’s what you mean?” Kara picked up a file off her desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Winn breathed out, standing up and picking up the coffee. “Thanks for the cup of joe anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, problem,” Kara replied, sifting through the paperwork in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zor-el!” Dimas called out from the door of her office.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Ma’am?” Kara stopped to look at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Office now,” The lieutenant commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara closed the file in her hands and placed it down on, picking up instead a cup of coffee from the carrier tray and throwing it away in the trash bin next to her. She opened the door quietly and entered the room when Dimas looked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bought you coffee,” Kara said, gently closing the door with her free hand as she held up the coffee cup with the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimas motioned to the chair in front of her desk, placing down a file in a bin. “I still have to vet you to see if any personal infringements that will impede this case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I.” Kara fidgeted with her glasses. “I can assure you I remember nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dimas drew out a breath, “Well that brings us to the next problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Next problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are the only one who knows how Mrs. Thompson was disembodied and hasn’t seen the autopsy report so your testimony couldn’t be dismissed in trial.” Dimas stopped and looked at Kara, “I can’t risk letting you on the case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kara inched forward angrily, “But I’m the main detective on this case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kara! We can’t risk anything in this case if what that woman said was true.” Dimas slammed her hands on the table, shooting up to her feet. “You were a child when I first met you. You told me that Jeremiah had murdered his wife, but I didn’t believe you because you told me a story of a woman from the future. If I had brought this man to justice and avenged her murder, but I didn't do it, all because I couldn’t take your word for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do I do then?” Kara hung her head. She had never been taken off a case before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go home and rest.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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